
my husband had two strokes
sometimes he doesn’t understand
my words
chatter chatter chatter
metaphors are a challenge
it’s hard on me
you have changed, I say
my patience
balancing on a thin wire
I practice walking on clouds
only in darkness
can we see stars shine
welcome the night…
words my husband spoke to me
when we were young
genie nakano
Starlight will be published in Ribbons a tanka Journal in the Spring of 2023, selected by Susan Weaver, editor of Ribbons.