But brides still want to get married in June! 

Waiting for the Strawberry moon to wax & wane 

golden, like honey – their honey’s holding them 

sweetly on their honeymoon, & they kiss deeply. 

Waiting for the Strawberry moon to wax & wane, 

newly-minted partners enter the parade route  

sweetly on their honeymoon, & they kiss deeply 

as their fingers intertwine with a rainbow flag. 

Newly-minted partners enter the parade route.  

To legally love & live with each other is a right. 

As their fingers intertwine with a rainbow flag, 

this is that they have been fighting for: 

to legally love & live with each other is a right.

Golden, like honey – their honey’s holding them. 

This is that they have been fighting for! 

(But brides still want to get married in June …) 

Is the big storm coming now? 

The full Flower Moon is finally here! 

Will the winds tear off the flowers? 

Moon’s eclipse has peaked while we were sleeping. 

The full Flower Moon is finally here! 

They are predicting tornados tonight— 

Moon’s eclipse has peaked while we were sleeping. 

Should we hide in the bathtub until it’s over? 

They are predicting tornados tonight— 

Nevertheless, maybe heavy rain. 

Should we hide in the bathtub until it’s over? 

Time to brew herbal tea— 

Nevertheless, maybe heavy rain. 

Will the winds tear off the flowers? 

Time to brew herbal tea— 

Is the big storm coming now? 

Another breath of fresh air—

The daffodils of the Upper East Side

are finally poking out of the ground;

the trees now wear blooms.

The daffodils of the Upper East Side

dance along with the wind.

The trees now wear blooms

& its pink or white petals

dance along with the wind.

Growing green things—

& its pink or white petals

dotting along the wet pavement, with

growing—Green things

are finally poking out of the ground;

dotting along the wet pavement, with

another breath of fresh air—

We are springing forward with sunny weather. 

Snowy days are growing more rare; 

melodies are becoming more romantic & cinematic.  

Trees are starting to bud green— 

Snowy days are growing more rare; 

when will the flowers come?  

Trees are starting to bud green. 

I leave a kiss upon your forehead— 

“When will the flowers come?” 

I asked myself silently. How soon will 

I leave a kiss upon your forehead 

& I hug you when we say “Goodbye?” 

I asked myself silently: “How soon will 

melodies are becoming more romantic & cinematic?” 

& I hug you when we say “Goodbye.” 

We are springing forward with sunny weather. 

Love is present in many forms.

It’s still cold outside; the sun shines brightly today

& when old friends meet up again, how wondrous!

Our brunch tasted so good.

It’s still cold outside; the sun shines brightly today

so we walk towards downtown.

Our brunch tasted so good.

She wants to shop for shoes

so we walk towards downtown.

ACE trains are not running this weekend—

She wants to shop for shoes.

19 years later, the friendship is still strong.

ACE trains are not running this weekend—

& when old friends meet up again, how wondrous!

19 years later, the friendship is still strong.

Love is present in many forms.

This damn apnea—my brain is craving oxygen

during the height of Omicron—will I ever catch

my breath / without a mask, outside? I need some

REMs (love the band, but this is the real thing), cool things

while I sleep—I need to get my heart pounding NOW

while I am awake: walking everywhere, steps; to catch

up, I drink cold pressed red juice (strawberry & stuff)

so I can concentrate—to write this poem now, & some-

time tomorrow when I get a free moment (or, just now),

while the expressions run away from me, claiming stuff

& new things to create, while we tools still run on oxygen.

It’s too cold to go out;

it’s too dark to wander in the city. 

Music grows quieter in the houses.

We draw & dream of spring flowers.

It’s too dark to wander in the city

while the snow settles down—

We draw & dream of spring flowers,

but the leaves are frozen over

while the snow settles down—

Bundle up dear ones; wear your warm boots,

but the leaves are frozen over:

be careful out there! Don’t slip—

Bundle up dear ones! Wear your warm boots.

Music grows quieter in the houses.

Be careful out there! Don’t slip—

It’s too cold to go out.

“If you don’t eat at Breeze,”

the hotel’s concierge warned us,

“you could spend 

your New Year’s Eve

with ruffians!”

What are ruffians exactly 

in Nantucket?

Are they the fishermen 

with long, bushy beards 

who wear flannel shirts & eat at Stubby’s,

or are they the workmen

that come from all the corners of the earth,

dreaming of whales & boats?

Are they the grizzly grandmas

who shop solo at Stop & Shop,

driving their weathered Volvos,

or the waitresses from Ireland,

Thailand & Jamaica,

they miss their homeland

as they pour more drinks?

Are they the shopgirls 

with frizzy hair, 

sharp eyes & fast hands,

speaking in indecipherable accents?

Or are they other poor visitors,

pretending to be rich 

for four nights,

at the end of the year,

like artists, musicians or poets,

who play & perform 

for their supper

as the tipsy audience cheers them on?