December 24, 2025

eves are still for
excitement and
possibilities

no matter how old i grow
or how pessimistic i think i’m becoming
i still have the idea for what could be
just on my vision’s horizon

[i hope i never lose that]

December 25, 2024

christmas eve dreams
of arson with three sisters and me
to make a new life for ourselves
outside of the oppressive home
but loving our family enough
to have failsafes in place
just in case
just in case

but the strangest part of the dream
wasn’t the reasoning,
or the 1800’s garb against
1900’s cityscape buildings,
or even the minute details of the
arson
itself —
it was the fact that the next day
we had to do it all again, the house
magically un-burned
everyone’s memories erased
except for ours
except for ours
[and why did it go so much worse
the second time around?]

December 24, 2024

a very
ikea
christmas

the eve spent
in the store
lunch
and grabbing some things
much needed
for the house
[and a few things
not quite needed,
but wanted for a while]
and post-sunset spent
putting the items
together

the day
beginning with cinnamon rolls
and ending with
smoked/cured salmon
and of course
enjoying the furniture
we assembled
together

December 24, 2023

making new
traditions
making old traditions
happier
making things work
in this snow-less escape
that is our regular every day life
in new york city

~~~

down the coffee
slip off to the holiday market
grab cider/
wine/
juice/
anything
to make a mulled wine
happen
and also some stickers
and also some goofy goofs
and also
some
potential
presents
for a new
present moment

~~~

silly,
i
already
know

December 23, 2023

as the numbers steadily approach
24
the day in december i used to see your face
every year
[along with others
along with others]
my heart hiccups
as i think about seeing you
and remembering i can’t,
not in its living form anymore

it’s a lost loss
one from far away
but so closely held in both of our hearts

you wrote so many letters
to so many people
but you always managed to write to me
and make me feel like i was the only one

i love you i loved you i love you

[this poem has no end
because grief
goes on and on]

December 24, 2021

It’s a very skunk-y Christmas
When the day before the Eve-ening,
A precariously-leaned gate outside our door
Gave a neighborhood skunk quite a fright-ening

It’s a very skunk-y Christmas
When throughout our teeny home
The not-quite-fully sealed window panes
Let the stink-smell roam

It’s a very skunk-y Christmas
We’ve tried candles, incense, and fans
Though perhaps if we’d had a real-live-fir
Yeah, that would’ve been a good plan…

It’s a very skunk-y Christmas
But at least it’s not the only threat
What with Omicron out a-spreading
Friends and family won’t be visiting just yet

It’s a very skunk-y Christmas
But our animals don’t seem to mind
The cat runs around as spastic as us-ual
And the dog’s head tilts in kind

It’s a very skunk-y Christmas
When the day before the Eve-ening,
A precariously-leaned gate outside our door
Gave a neighborhood skunk quite a fright-ening