Where have you been?
I do not know.
I do not know?
Well, I know, but I’m not sure.
(This is turning into a Pink Floyd song in a hurry.)
I’ve been folding laundry. Yes, that.
Discovering that if a small child pushes the tiny brown button on his Pillow Pets Dream Lites enough times in a row it will flash maniacally and turn bedtime into a psychedelic clown show.
Beer. And that.
Considering the question: Who am I? How did I find myself having deep conversations based on the statement (delivered in a deadpan voice as I was sitting on the toilet):
“Mama, pasta can come out of my nose.”
Writing one poem in the last 6 months that felt like a miracle and an ending and a beginning as all poems do.
Wishing. Always wishing which is so silly because look at all of this: the dog curled up on the lap, the boy holding a dog-eared book, the girl going down the slide backwards, the other boy yanking at his underwear, the new job, the rain, the eternal missing, and always (thank goodness) always laughter.
Hello.
Hello …hello…back to you….hello. It is good to be viewing your life with the eternal missing hovering over you being splintered by a psychedelic Pillow Pet. If I weren’t so blessed myself with a sleeping old dog warming my feet and a view of the bridge barely visible through the six story tall trees, I would almost envy you.
Leslie! Sending you so much love. And the hope that you never have dog doo in your bed. XO
You are the miracle, my friend.
You.
No YOU! XO
Hello. This gave me the warm fuzzies. That’s still a thing, right? See, I wasn’t aware pillow pets became light shows. Ours are just pillows. So, I could be wrong about the warm fuzzies.
But I know I like it here.
Sperkowitz! XO
Well, hello friend. It’s lovely to see you.
So, so good to read you.
Jen! Thank goodness! My computer crashed and I lost your phone number. And I was worried and I couldn’t find you. Are you okay? This is so lovely and heavy and light at the same time. And it’s how I have been feeling. I’m so happy to see your words this morning.
Hello!! So, so happy to see you here! So happy. As Julie said, you are the miracle.
Love you. xo
Hello! I am happy. For you. For your family. Hello!
Was that a poem or a post? I couldn’t tell which means it was awesome.
Hello right back at you Jen! Love your blog!
Hellooooo! So happy when I see you’ve posted. This was a happy busy sounding sort of poemy nonpoem, and I loved it.
HELLO Jen!!!! Love it when you post!
Yes all of this is perfectly what life is and the experiences that sweep us up and off our feet.
How come I did not see this earlier? You have to let me know when you write, I miss you!
Good to hear from you!
Thanks, sweet friend!
Hello to you! Glad to have some words from you. And images of psychotically psychedelic pillow pets. Ellen
Hi! I just stumbled upon your blog after doing a Google search for one of the doctors at NYU, and you just made my day. I really like your blog and your way with words describing everyday events with a clarity and imagery and humor that has had me cracking up all morning. Thank you for that and happy Thanksgiving
Thank you so much! I hope you have a wonderful holiday.
sorry for being away so long! since school started, I have a hard time even following my own blog! ha! lovely poem….very accurate. Only we totally have a pyschadelic show between the dream lite and the “orbeez suspended in water” lamp my sister got the kids for christmas, and the glitter hurricane lava lamp my other sister got the kids for christmas.