Humanity: Raw & Unfiltered
We stood on the hillside, the early July sun warm, the notes of Danny Boy on the bagpipes lingered in the blue air. It was not like other funerals–no lowering the casket on a winch, no Astroturf around a large grave. Three small holes had been prepared. Daddy had died in January, Read more
Ghosts of past deaths crowd my consciousness as I face yet another loss, a slipping away of another friend and brother. Each time we face the penumbra of dying, surreal ghosts rise up to remind us of other moments, déjà vu’s, other losses we’ve already endured. Each death rolls into Read more
Today is the last day of my life. It was inevitable, and I had accepted it. In fact, I had embraced it. I was almost looking forward it. I expected – well – I hoped, that it would provide the release that I wanted. The relief that I needed. But Read more
On December 3, 2015, my parents – at 73 years of age – moved to Los Angeles, from New York City. The city they had lived in, their whole lives. They had traveled. Florida and Puerto Rico. Still extremely east coast. December 3rd was my middle daughter’s 6th birthday, and Read more
my father never saw me smoke he didn’t see the way the clouds come out of my mouth and make beautiful shapes in the sultry sky between me and Her. I have never liked the way a cigarette felt between my two fingers but the sight of it between Her Read more
In Phoenix, it seems as if you can see forever on the desert floor without mountains to block the view. The flat geography provides a perfect vista to watch summer dust storms arrive. The storms arrive in a slow crawl, picking up momentum in a snail-like fashion. They appear to Read more
The age of miracles pretending to be this wonderful illusion wanting to see our hearts depths and story lines wanting to leave the eyes and trips stuck in our throats wanting to achieve endless motion, desire to believe in our human sacrifice wanting a reprieve from monsters hiding wanting to Read more
“To rise, first you must burn.” ― Hiba Fatima Ahmad Dear Mike, When you were alive, I never quite knew the day of your birthday. Kay had to inform me the day you were born–“Oh, did you know it’s Mike’s birthday today? I’m having cake and ice-cream later on. Pleeeeease Read more