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.

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

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.

The sun was up and so was Charlie.

                                                 Rachel's getting married.

down the rabbit hole

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.

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.

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.

                                 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.

SNOW DAY!!!!!!

Ellie didn't know little Lucy had followed her

until it was too late.

secret valentine.

snow day = pajama day

(add snowpants and sled throughout the day)

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

elf magic.