Friends, this one will give you a bit of a glimpse into one of my "forest fires"

Kitchen Table

Open bag of ginger snaps
Unopened bills
Three half-used votive candles
Papers
Empty coffee mug (didn’t make it to the sink)

Three sheets of notebook paper atop the pile
Folded from mailing
One with corners torn
Straight blue lines
Tattooed over with black ball-pen ink
In choppy hand printing

Daughter writes home

Letter with torn corners starts
In German
Random, silly phrases
From songs her roommate knows
Switches to English
(says “english here” with an arrow, just in case)
Tells of books she’s reading
And goofy times with friends
And love and “miss you lots”

Letter to Mom
“a quick serious letter”
Apologies accepted
Don’t beat yourself up
for
The Past
“I love you soooo much!”

Letter to Mom + Dad
1/9/09
“hectic and emotional days”
Three days, three breakdowns
“hard and kinda sucked”
Then a decision
To work for sobriety
Starting Step One
Daughter is “super excited”
“I love you guys sosoo much”

Kitchen table grows dim
Sounds fade
Sight blurs
Tears of joy
and pride in a strong, brave lady
Tears for months of separation
and years of distance
Tears of relief
Daughter will win this

Three sheets of notebook paper
Straight blue lines
Tattooed with black ball-pen ink
In choppy hand printing
Treasure beyond price

Thanks for sharing that, Mark. For the poetry, and for the glimpse.

Heartwarming! Truly wonderful.

wow ... thanks brother. really touching ...