At Janus’ gateway,

we find ourselves once again:

but what shall we leave behind?

~

Year after year we

resolve to leave things behind 

then  just snatch them up again.

As this year slowly

fades, what causes your poet’s

heart to skip a beat?

~

Diversity breeds

an asynchronous rhythm

when we welcome it inside.

Is it a sad truth

that just the presence of pain

provides us with fresh perspective?

~

Sometimes pain can be

a crowbar that loosens the

old and makes way for the new.

Are we completely

daft to hope that before long

snow will fall and fires warm?

~ 

When hearthfires burn

and winter snows return, 

we will daftly hope for spring.

Sales and Santa sail

off to hidden storage bins;

how to keep that joy within?

~

Ah, and therein lies

the rub for we have to learn

to catch joy on the fly.

It’s the day AFTER

Christmas. Why haven’t the kids

gotten that sleep memo yet?

~

Alas, Boxing Day,

at least within this household,

is no day of servants’ rest.

After record warmth,

perhaps we should consider

spending Christmas down under?

~

I thought the whole point

of Christmas was to help us 

avoid going down under.

It’s the night before

Christmas. Why haven’t the kids

gotten the memo on sleep?

~

You are so old school!

If you want those kids to sleep,

You must email, text, or tweet.

How can one protect

beloved family members

from so poorly misplaced trust?

~

We do our best through

love, vigilance, and prayer,

taking action when we must.

Ok, so there’s no

snow. Are we going to just

be left with those plain red cups?

~

Why go to and fro

over the absence of snow?

Candles set red cups aglow!