Emptiness

All alone in an empty house
The blustery day ensues
Gray clouds hover
Leaving me feeling blue

Snow drifts and waves

Bare branches wither
A freight train whistles
Icy wind just whips

So this is the culmination

Of 9 years of occupation
22 years of habitation
Of Minnesota-ization

All alone in an empty house

Where memories were made
With many firsts and many lasts
For love, it never failed

a ray of sunshine beams

offering perspective
from the warm room
as it reveals all prospective

the evergreens flash a smile

into my sunny room
there will be new memories
in a new place, a new home.

An empty house it is today

But voices of past echo
I capture them in my heart
And together, away we’ll go.

Up-Rooted

It is time

to say goodbye

to the Polar Vortex

the mountains of snow

black ice drama

lakes and parks we know

 It is time

to gather all around

our bittersweet memories

of walk from the hospital

from obscure surgery

or with our bundle of joy

It is time

to keep it all alive

joys at the museums

applause of the theatres

little kids’ dramas

broadways and concerts

It is time

to pack up

all of the memories

bottle up all the tears

carefully carry them along

look ahead sans fear 

It is time

to Up Root

our warm, humble nest

put the memories in boxes

nestle them in our hearts

             and Re-Root in Texas.

It is just a matter of time…

and friendships extend beyond time.