home again                                           (dec 31st, 2012) 

 Home Again


the ground finally frozen 

lights strung across the pine 

it’s time for our yearly migration 

everything’s packed 

there’s no shortage of baggage 

engine turns slowly, we curl toward the morning sun 

 

home again, home again, jiggety john 

memories spill ‘cross the ribbon we’re on 

 

there’s snow in the farm fields 

there’s anticipation 

there’ll be skirmish and treaty in our familial nation 

there’ll be true understanding 

some painful regret 

tear into neatly wrapped questions and side table bets 

 

home again, home again, jiggety jean 

a prayer that we gently just say what we mean 

 

in town, lots of landmarks 

all scattered about 

pieces of childhood staked deep in the ground 

some bring on a whisper 

some boastful and proud 

some conjure pure silence, some we don’t talk about 

 

home again, home again, jiggety gin 

a toast to the ghosts that we choose to hold in