Mae mailed Christmas cards today, fewer again this year because death has made her address book a skeleton. She has a son in Russia

When the dogwoods bloom pink and white blossoms create canopies of joy. Donal Mahoney

July in the streets of Mexico City: One of the women one never would marry. One of the women one sees

Another day at the zoo and Wally’s new job was to feed the ap… Old Stanley had fed the apes for 40 years and loved the job but told Wally he was retiring.

The soup kitchen opens an hour late. The rain finally stops and the hungry file in. They’ve had a long wait.

Next to me on the train going home to the suburbs is another guy stuck in a suit reading his paper, a normal-looking guy

If they irritate you and so many do you don’t seek them out until you need them and when you’re through

Some day soon Wall Street giants will walk on their hands never sit or sleep. They will eat

Being out of work during the holidays is twice as bad and twice that’s happened now to Wally Ballew

Dad, happy to see you’re taking a nap. I’m down at the pier so give me a shout when you wake up

This is Granny in the Ozarks call… Please come down before spring goes away for summer. The geese are coming through and landing on the pond

If a marriage doesn’t work out you get a divorce and look for someone else. If a poem doesn’t work out you put it in a folder and

Married 60 years Fred and Daisy still are very different people. All day long they hide their differences to make

Should she write about the wonders of nature and say it’s okay to lie on the beach forever without any sunscreen