April 1, 2026

a moment
with a stray cat
yelling at me as i looked past the spot
i usually check
for cats

a moment
with a hawk
screeching over my head
and actually seeing it
soar
away

a moment
with all the birds
who eat the cat food we put out for the strays,
the starlings and mockingbirds and robins and wrens and blue jays
[would they all actually eat the bird food
if we put up a bird feeder, or is purina
always going to be their
meal of choice?]

a moment
with our silly dog
whining at all the other
canines walking past

a moment
with squirrels
with skunks
with raccoons and possums at night
with rats along the indoor subway line
and the pigeons flocking outside

i cannot express what it means
to me
to have all these animals around us
and
get to take advantage of living inside the city

the bronx is truly a beautiful place

February 22, 2026

the coffee
is spicy
today

[and by spicy
i mean strong
pretty
darn
strong]

and we actually went out
last night
[though not to “night life”
but to a show
an important show
a beautiful show]

and spoke
with friends old and new
afterwards

it was lovely
but now it’s morning
and i have things i have to do

[and kip has sleep
they never
get]

so i’m drinking this
spicy/strong coffee
to try to just get up and go and do

[and it just started snowing
i hate the cold, but
it’s beautiful]

February 7, 2026

i have had
quite the busy
busy week
and today is the day for
resting
and chores that have been waiting
for at least a week
if not more to
be done

and this may end up being my week
from now until
who knows when

but i’ll keep trucking
i’ll keep doing
until i find myself
trying
something different

[i still want to write more than anything
but i can never think of anything
to actually write
about]

August 10, 2025

i think
i see
[or am starting to
anyway]
why
the cyclone
has so much
lore
and art
and presence
and prestige
about it

i may need to ride it
a couple more times
to truly understand
[though that may be
my thrill-seeker side
craving the hairpin turns
and g-forces
pressing on my thumping heart
truly feeling
alive]

[we’ll see
we’ll see]

June 26, 2025

getting choked up
at rallies where we all chant
“we are New Yorkers”
to signify we won’t be beaten down
or give in
to fascism

literally tearing up
while reading the world’s responses
to our mayoral primary
“that’s my mayor”
in Cleveland
in Virginia
in New Zealand
in Europe

those damn tote bags were right —

don’t you dare call me an american
i’ve never had any
pride in my country

but don’t you dare forget
that i’m a New Yorker
and my chosen city
stands up for all our
beliefs

and when we get together on something
don’t you dare forget
what we can all accomplish
as New Yorkers
together

January 7, 2022

having been burned by
the National Weather Service
and over-preparedness
in the past,
the Kips opted
to ignore the
winter weather advisory
for their area
and sleep comfortably in a home
with
no shovel
and
no rock salt
and woke to some of the
pack-y-est snow they’ve seen
in NYC
thus far.

but all is not lost,
for these two new(ish) homeowners,
for they had opted for a push-broom
to rid their driveway of autumnal leaves
and that seemed to work fine
(for now)
for the little piece of sidewalk
and tiny driveway
that they have

and perhaps,
if it does continue to snow
(as the weather app says)
they will brave the icy streets
(which hold no fear in the driving Kip,
having spent six years in Wisconsin
driving multiple times a day)
to pick up
a brand new snow shovel
and a bucket of (pet safe) salt.

but for now:
coffee,
bagels,
and enjoying this wonderland view.