Bracing Myself

After sitting meditation Wednesday, I talk to Chuck, in Pueblo, on Zoom. “I’m getting the staples removed(again)from my leg tomorrow.” Last year they put in the plate and screws. Two weeks ago Dr. Chaus took out the plate and the screws. The staples will be out...

Summer Women

We walk from the dining hall up the path, through aspens, and field. We walk alone or in groups of two or three. And onto the road, up into the pines and the indoor/outdoor pavilion. If it’s raining and cool, we walk beyond the pavilion to the lodge. We find our...

Precious Resources

Polly goes upstairs for a nap, falls asleep and wakes fuzzy; thinks someone’s stealing her little dog, the dearest thing to her. Puts the dog, Max, in the closet, calls 911 and they all come. Firetrucks, police. The sheriff calls me on her phone, “I want to verify...

Pain & Beauty

This weekend, preparing for Small Stories (for various sized) People class I thought: That which is broken, disfigured, ruined, can’t stop there. We’ve been reading pieces that are fractured and fragmented, about trauma. And we’re in this time of difficulty.  But then...

A Promise

When I was in the hospital, four months ago today, I was lying face up in my hospital bed looking at two things, a white board with various names and numbers written and erased on it, and above the white board,a large clock. I could also see the door to the right...

Freestyle

In the story the mermaid meets up with a fisherman a few times. The wish for her to be on land with actual legs is granted. Initially it works out for them, but the trouble is, with each step she feels sharp pains, like stepping on knives. She longs for the sea. She’s...