Browse the Library

Winning Ticket

He won the grand prize of a vacuum cleaner & all the canned goods he could carry & when they told him he couldn’t believe it. I thought I was buying drink tickets, he said.

Wide Berth

I bet we could all live in peace for a long time, as long as everyone stayed out of my way, she said. I’d hate to be the one to ruin it.

White Birds

I have always thought that stars turn into white birds in the morning light & sleep with their heads under their wings until the dusk begins to walk through the streets.

Wheelbarrow

This is a wheelbarrow I filled with all my dreams & my favorite clothes & now all I need is someone to help me push it.

Whales

I remember when the whales had wings, she said. Whatever happened? I said. It got to be too noisy with all the airplanes & other stuff, so they flew into the ocean & never came back. Some days, she added, I think about going too.

Western Mysticism

It’s much easier, he told me, if you like the parts you like & you like the parts you don’t like. Is that some Eastern thing? I said & he said not really since he was from Idaho & it worked there just fine.

Well Behaved

They’re like pets who shed clothes instead of hair, she said, & they talk back & want a lot of stuff. But at least they don’t pee on the carpet anymore, she added.

Weight Training

This is a giant block of whatever is most difficult for you to carry & trust me on this, you’ll carry it more times than you can count until you decide that’s exactly what you want to do most & then it won’t weigh a thing anymore.

Weight

This only weighs a lot if you’ve forgotten to do the stuff you wanted to do all along.

Watching Ants

I would like to think more about baseball & small engines & the best weedkiller known to man, but I always end up watching the ants on my back porch, thinking we’re not so different after all.

Walking Softly

walking softly like a spider in the early morning

Walking Big

walking with loud giant steps while he can because he’s already noticed that when you grow up, even if you do keep walking as big as you can, you have to be quiet about it, or other people get headaches

Wake Up

it always takes him a little while to get used to being in this body after he’s been sleeping

Waiting to be Kissed

Every time I looked at the picture I thought how I should have kissed her, so finally I hid it in the attic & I wonder if it’s still there with us both so young & her waiting to be kissed.

Waiting to Stay

Sometimes I can’t wait to leave, but not when my boys are wishing I could stay

Waiting to See

A box of eyes waiting to see something act up

Waiting for Signs

I used to wait for a sign, she said, before I did anything. Then one night I had a dream & an angel in black tights came to me & said, you can start any time now, & then I asked is this a sign? & the angel started laughing & I woke up. Now, I think the whole world is filled with signs, but if there’s no laughter, I know they’re not for me.

Waiting

I don’t mind waiting for a little while, he said, if I get a treat in the end. What do you think is a treat? I said. Not having to wait too long, he said & I had to give him points for honesty.

Voice of Reason

Sometimes I think I should just keep my opinions to myself, she said, but someone has got to be the voice of reason.

Vision Change

You see me better than I am, she said & I’m worried what’ll happen when your vision changes