December 15 – 5 Minutes Imagine you will completely lose your memory of 2010 in five minutes. Set an alarm for five minutes and capture the things you most want to remember about 2010. (Author: Patti Digh)

Yesterday I spent my five minutes with sick Annie. Today I wrote a poem about more than five minutes. It captures a few hours of couch time. I wouldn’t trade these hours for anything, not a million dollars, the best hours with a friend or a trip to Italy.

Memory 2010

 It is a gift

This evening with fevered child

One still small enough

Just barely

To fit atop

Her stretched-out body

Breathing heavy and slow

As she drifts into heavy sleep

How could one leave

This scene

Never to be captured again?

This long winter’s nap

On one of the shortest

Days of the year

She wants

Her need

To not miss

The dance between she and her

Tangled worry

Blessed bliss, warmth

And lamplight

A growing girl

Never to return

Except in the mind’s eye

Altered by time

Sweetened by memory

12.15.2010