For Marilyn on New Year’s Day

When you wake up

tomorrow, another bright

new day

the chance to

start fresh and redeem

yourself for all

that went wrong in

your life

those things that

just didn’t go

as planned

time for coffee with

a friend or a movie with

someone who you

hope might

be that someone

or maybe you just find

yourself some quiet

time, reading a book

in the chair in the corner

of the room next to

the fireplace and a

window with a small

table and a coaster with

a steeping cup of tea

the cat laying sleepily

in the sun on the floor

swatting the dog’s

tail every now and again

as you remember your

mom and those long

talks about nothing

with nothing better to

do other than sit with

her

time losing all

meaning as she

would smile moment

to moment cancer

still something

the future would disguise

as a nagging cough

that never went away

after that first cold day

of the new year

your breathe a steady

mist in the cold air

walking alone

your glasses fogging

over as the year’s first tears

fall from your eyes