Saturday, November 23, 2013


getting ready for the winter season



Mama wheeled her
into the living room
she asked me to keep
Grandma company
while she got some work done
in the kitchen
Father O’Brien was coming over
for tea
sure I said

silent
since the stroke
my Grandma sat there

her rosary in one hand
head tilted to one side
she looked slightly downward
at her lap

hair braided
and twisted into a neat coil
she had a light sweater
to keep her warm

I brought my record player
down from my room
and plugged it in
took out my favorite album

Free to Be You and Me

I began singing
to Grandma
sharing the booklet of lyrics
with her
making sure she could follow along
if she wanted

I sang the whole album
once through
then belted out my favorite
the title track
Free to Be…You and Me
sung by The New Seekers

over
and over
and over
again

still silent
                                    

 I sang it again.

Thursday, November 21, 2013



Charlotte Zolotow is no longer with us.
I played my favorite album, Free To Be You And Me,
over and over and over again
for my Grandma
back in the days of record players.

William's Doll recorded by Alan Alda & Marlo Thomas
adapted from William's Doll by Charlotte Zolotow

Thursday, October 31, 2013


It is after midnight
when they take out the game
Amy and Allison are asleep
Bridget and Kathy
want to play

Ouija

I’d never heard of it
so I say sure

I love board games
and I was so happy
to be at
my first sleepover
in my new pajamas with feet

Kathy pulls out the board
it has ornate letters across the top
and bottom
and a heart shaped game piece
it’s beautiful

she explains the rules
it’s a two player game
you ask questions of spirits

from the other side

I look at her
                                   I think I’ll just watch, I say

no, no says Bridget
you gotta play

so Kathy tells Bridget and me to sit
face to face
the board on our lap
I place my fingers on the pointer

lightly
like Bridget

what do you wanna ask, she says
you gotta ask something from the dead

I don’t know any dead people, I say

how about your grandmother
she just died, right?

Ouija, is MJ’s grandma with us tonight?
are you THERE?

I shut my eyes
I can feel the pointer start to move
across the board
it stops
Kathy screams
It points to YES,

YES.

I take my hands away

she’s here MJ she’s here!
Bridget is excited
put your hands back on, she says
put your hands back on!

Ouija, if you really are MJ’s grandma

tell us your name

I watch Bridget’s hands this time
to see if she’s moving the pointer
as it slides
to

J
then O

I can hear my heart
Bridget breathing
and the gentle scraping of the pointer
as it slides
all by itself

and stops
on the final letter of 

JOSEPHINE

my Grandma’s name

                                    she’s here

                                    I whisper.

Thursday, October 10, 2013


The sun was up and so was Charlie.

Wednesday, September 25, 2013


                                                 Rachel's getting married.


Sunday, July 28, 2013


down the rabbit hole



Friday, June 14, 2013

for Alice

what do I believe?

I believe in you.
and I believe in your scribbles.
add
a buddha.
a kind word
and
santa claus
and goodness.

this is what I believe.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Grandpa Scott, drawn by me, age 6



I find my drawing of him

I was six
and I remember
the star shaped clock
that hung on the wall

He sits in the yellow chair
the one by the gossamer curtains
and his bookshelf
that holds the near and dear
his pipe
Prince Albert
and tootsie pops

he puffs
on his pipe

smiling

that’s what he did

smile

he leans forward
one hand
reaching
for his walker
drawn in profile
it is placed
in front of the tv
with the red pedestal
bowl

the drawing
leaves out
his missing teeth

and me
missing him

I find my drawing of him

stuck in the middle of King Lear
in my mom’s faded book of Shakespeare.





Sunday, May 5, 2013


MaryJo Scott
I wish I had….


A house
that had heat
in the kitchen
and
a banister
and light fixtures
in the living room
and
the dining room
and
the hallway
upstairs and down.

I wish I had

a house
by the sea
with furniture
made of silver grey
driftwood
and
shells for knobs
on creaky doors
that lead

outside

down one step
off the porch
onto a sandy path
lined with whispery reeds
that tell me secrets
all the way
to roaring blue

water.

Wednesday, April 24, 2013


                                 I Roll Down the Hill

Grandpa’s hill

it is shorter
than I remember

and I get dizzier
than I remember

but

the feeling
is the same

freedom
mixed with damp grass
and dirt

good dirt

the kind that smells
of earthworms

I roll down the hill

all the way
to Joe Consoli’s house

I lay at the bottom
and look up
at my Grandpa’s house

and there they are
Grandpa and Joe Consoli
sitting on the porch
together
laughing
telling me to roll again
Grandpa pointing with his cane

I get to my feet
stand still for a second
to balance

myself

lightheaded
I walk back up
to the
wraparound porch

and hold onto
the railing
where Grandpa’s chair
should be

the sky is so blue
the shadows long
a robin sings solo

I didn’t know
one could see
the
Green Mountains
from here
Grandpa’s hill.

Sunday, March 10, 2013

SNOW DAY!!!!!!

Thursday, February 28, 2013


Ellie didn't know little Lucy had followed her
until it was too late.



Thursday, February 14, 2013


secret valentine.

Wednesday, February 13, 2013


snow day = pajama day
(add snowpants and sled throughout the day)

Monday, February 4, 2013

new birthday scarf from my wonderful friend Ann 
the amazing author of Also Known as Harper.

3 favorites in one post
Ann Haywood Leal + Also Known as Harper + sunshine color



Friday, January 4, 2013



elf magic.