so miserable
without her, it's almost
like she's here
Carol Raisfeld
love yarns —
grandfather tells us jokes
of grandma’s shyness
Gautam Nadkarni
grandpa's road trip
highlighted on his map —
all the rest stops
Claudia Wilson
spinning yarns
my grandmother's
sewing circle
Dick Whyte
96th birthday...
he says it's wonderful
no peer pressure
Carol Raisfeld
exams passed —
gramps congratulates me
for the fourth time
Gautam Nadkarni
Eat everything
on your plate
I tell my elderly mother
Alexis Rotella
in his mother’s house
he walks into the cobweb
she underlooked
Dee Evetts
getting old
another coincidence goes
without saying
Liam Wilkinson
the morning mail so good
cold eggs
cold toast
Anita Virgil
late to school again
the drama queen's
mother explains
Stephen A. Peters
Late for work—
the only clean shirt
is Hawaiian.
Liam Wilkinson
recently divorced
at the dry cleaners
picking up the fresh laundry
Stephen A. Peters
grocery cart
I hide the prune juice behind
the Depends
Claudia Wilson
too quickly
the girl at the pharmacy
knows my name.
Carlos Colón
family get-together
all the eyes all the feelers
all the hands tearing shrimp
Anita Virgil
the lost son
visiting his father
with his son
Jörgen Johansson
at dinner —
criticizing the chicken
dad takes more
Gautam Nadkarni
During dinner,
he tells us
we’re not in his will.
Alexis Rotella
guests for dinner . . .
on the broccoli
pepper with legs
Tanya McDonald
her stomach answers
my question first
Raquel D. Bailey
He looks at his gut
beginning to understand
where his money goes
Belly Peterson
weight loss clinic
stepping on the scale
she spits out her gum
Claudia Wilson
how heavy
the empty can
of Slim-Fast
Carlos Colón
in traffic...hungry
I scan the billboards
for my food choices
Claudia Wilson
snack time
the vegetarian kid eyes
the animal crackers
Carol Raisfeld
her first curling iron
she asks about the label
For External Use Only
Carol Raisfeld
tornado watch —
my brother builds
a pillow fort
Laurence Stacey
my uncle
was the kind of man
the wind blew away from
John Stevenson
old photo —
the bucktooth girl
my first date
Gautam Nadkarni
Ava Gardner movie —
my husband’s face
softens
Alexis Rotella
getting acquainted
beneath the make-up
a few wrinkles
Stephen A. Peters
Double chin—
I contemplate growing
two beards.
Liam Wilkinson
wiping the mirror
the big nose comes
into focus
A. Sethuramiah
50th class reunion
I only recognize —
the music
Claudia Wilson
looking for the pipe wrench
I find the keys
I lost last year
Bob Brill
cleaning the gutters
I scoop up
lost ping pong balls
Anita Virgil
in my sink
the new rust-free drain
already rusting
Mykel Board
Walking the sunny pavement,
isn't life wonderful?
Ooooh, a dime!
Ted Heavens
trilling back at the tree frog,
he answers me!
wonder what it was I said
Anita Virgil
the woodpecker knocks
a wild haired man swings open the door
and slams it shut again
Alan Pizzarelli
CREDITS:
Cover photograph: Title, O'Brien's Monday - says she "you will," E.W. Kelley, ca. 1906, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. Graphic design by Donna Beaver.
“in his mother’s house” from Frogpond, copyright © 1988 by Dee Evetts; by permission of the author.
“Ava Gardner movie”, “Eat everything” and “during dinner” from OUCH: Senryu That Bite, Modern English Tanka Press, copyright 2007 by Alexis Rotella; by permission of the author.
“too quickly” from Modern Haiku vol.37.3, copyright © 2006 by Carlos Colón; by permission of the author.
“how heavy:” First Place, San Francisco International Senryu Contest, copyright © 2004 by Carlos Colón; by permission of the author.
“the morning mail so good” and “family get-together” from One Potato Two Potato Etc., Peaks Press, copyright © 1991 by Anita Virgil; by permission of the author.
“my uncle“ from Roadrunner, VI:2, copyright © 2006 by John Stevenson; by permission of the author.
“the woodpecker knocks” from Senryu Magazine — out to lunch, River Willow, copyright © 2001 by Alan Pizzarelli; by permission of the author.