This is a sign of a catastrophic failure in our education system.

–photo by me

our eyes met only for a moment

yet i lost my balance and fell in.

i tumbled down a long staircase

all the way to the very bottom.

i knew it would be just as it was.

it was warm, and full of goodness,

life, and soothing motherhood.

slowly and reluctantly, i climbed

back up the staircase and out.

she was someone else’s lover,

and all i could do was to take

one quick, final look back

When I was a child, my whole family would gather

together to watch Bonanza with my father.

Now that he’s gone, I watch the old reruns,

and it makes me feel as though we’re

somehow watching them together;

I can feel his kind and gentle presence.

Bonanza was one of his favorite shows,

and now it’s one of mine.