by Alison

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.

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Ode to my In-laws:

too short a visit

there presence has me craving

Grand Central Station

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As we know in the world of haiku, sometimes short is sweet. My in-laws were in New Hampshire for just two days and it was wonderful to see them. Penelope had a blast. Grandma and Penny danced around the house like butterflies. Grandpa cracked Penny up and had all of us giggling. And we all took a trip to the pool one day that included a swimming lesson for Penny from Grandma and finally, a trip to the Depot Station Ice Cream Parlor. And one of the flavors? Grand Central Station. I had to order this seeing as how 1. B and I used to live in New York 2. the in-laws are native New Yorkers and 3. New York tends to be a meeting ground for this side of my family. Grand Central Station ice cream? Yum!!! Caramel ice cream with chocolate rice crispies and tiny malt balls. So I am planning two trips: a trip back to the ice cream parlor and a bigger trip in November which will take us into the real Grand Central Station.

by Alison

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a tatami room

fun chatter and great sushi -

41 feels great!

by Alison

there is nothing wrong

with having just one - Penny

grows unique and strong

by Alison

driving home through mist -

no siblings, daughter’s pulled

into the music

by Alison

I think of Japan

my friends and their families

and wonder what’s next

by Alison

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..

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we sit and wait

watching soap and snow melt

against the windshield

.

suddenly it’s dusk

and yet it took forever

to get to this car

.

driving we see things

that aren’t ourselves -

windows lit soft orange

.

trees hang with white

so comfortably as if

they were penciled in

.

Finally people

surround us and we eat

tasting everything

.

.

by Alison

bright moon overlooks

the deep dark forest beyond -

we struggle for words

by Alison

.

Merry Christmas to You and Your Family in all it’s Infite Shapes and Forms!

Merry Christmas to You and Your Family!

when I was a girl

it was only minutes to

drive to Grandma’s house

.

now I have a girl -

planes, trains and automobiles

is the way it works

.

from Pennsylvania

now grandma’s in Florida

sister lives down south

.

we live out our dreams

up north in New Hampshire but

something is missing

.

still we are happy

to raise our girl amongst trees

ocean, farms and fields

.

Whatever form your

family takes I wish you

a Merry Christmas!

by Alison

kiddo sick all week

I’m exhausted from childcare -

I need a grandma

by Kelly

cold rain slicks the streets

uncle spins family tales of

land, oil, fraud, murder