Word of the Year

something that seems to cast a spell

Magic
noun, adjective, verb
something that seems to cast a spell;
an extraordinary power

As in
sometimes-
a lot of times,
mostly all the time -
mamas need to tell
fragments
of 
joy
agony
surprise
shock
and then the mamas who listen
will break 

off a story
for the mama who spoke
a story that made her whole
in the telling

As in
the four of us
are driving up a slant street
when Jesse stops the car
and gets out -
walks into the intersection
to pick up something clunky and grey.
"What's he doing?"
the girls ask
"How'd he see that?"
We watch him walk to the fire station,
open the door,
and step in.
"How'd he know where that belongs?"
we all ask
He gets back in the car
and we drive on
all of us looking out the window now
for missing pieces
people might need
that they didn't know they lost

As in
my niece
is a dancer.
What I mean is
she is finding
how to be
her own missing piece
how to express
who she is
how she wants to live
what makes her whole
what she's willing to break for
"Do you know the difference
between good and great?"
my mom asks her
one Christmas morning
"What?" my nieces asks
but I want to know, too.
Mama, tell me
the difference
because I don't want to be good
good means right
good means no risk
good is boring
good means the false comfort of perfection

You know all the rules
all the steps
all the directions 
she tells us.
"But when you're great,"
she continues
"you forget yourself."

I click open my pen
my niece pirouettes

outside,
sirens sing
their call.