The Holidays Are Here

The Holidays are Here

written by: Genie Nakano

@genieyogini

 

as I go through
this slay ride of darkness
it’s the same old thing
again and again and again
the gloom days are here

the house is a mess
inside the holiday loop blues
wandering around the place
forgetting where I put things
forgetting what I’m doing

coming back
to doing nothing– maybe it’s Alzheimer
to the right and left of me
people are falling
forgetting who they are

some kind of bird
is flying up there, what is it
hey, Mom and Dad
I’d like to join you, it’s rough
it’s not getting any better here

there’ ain’t no heaven
up there when you die, (Hideki says)
gone, zap that’s it–
don’t worry, I’m not checking out
I have to feed the dogs

Toto coughs,
hacks, don’t die Toto
let me go first
I hate it when dogs die
can’t they live longer

the curse of death– maybe Toto– can morph into a puppy

hey, I need your help
help me erase this baggage
under my eyes
a rose leaf quivers
under sunny California skies

making up
I saw in the mirror,
dam cheeks sag
the sun is confused
it’s winter

 

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:

This Tanka Series is an antidote to my Holiday Blues. The holidays are hard for me…so I wrote this cathartic series last week. I felt better after doing so…but I need to write more tanka antidotes.