I breeze past the woman straining to hoist the baby onto her back, weighing whether it makes sense to stop and help. nah She’ll be fine And as I catch a glimpse of her in my rear view, doing just that. I remember Rhino and Elephant, gently snuggling them in, at different times, to the …
Author Archives: Radutti
marked words
I’m starting to understand displacement! I think I’m getting these ideas Rhino sits, ensconced on the couch in the fuzzy blue blanket, laptop atop lap, trailing the single earbud anchored in his left ear. Staring, as ever, at the screen. Typing away. This is the brave new world for today’s high school frosh. I’m kind …
Batman, Ting, and Sport
Three the holy trinity, the rule of thirds a magic number The boys squat, face forward, together but they look in different directions One left, one right, and the third, straight down. Two older gentlemen, only their feet visible behind the boys, share a smoke and lean on their motorbikes being the fourth and fifth in …
nut man
It’s been a misty, socked-in week. Air is moist, closets are musty. The sun and moon lie hidden, dormant. I miss the sun and moon It’s less a storefront and more a room, inside a house down a quiet lane, just off a quiet lane, down another quiet lane it’s a bit hidden, but there’s …
unstuck
I love anything from Oliver Jeffers, he manages to fit so much between the pages of a picture book. Joy, without cliche. Today I feel stuck, my kite up a tree Inert, rigid, slothlike, fixed. I should all over myself, tell myself that what’s happening isn’t good enough, that I need to be a productive …
sad but strong
It’s difficult to be both, at once. We greet one another and, like always, check in about the mundane. She asks after me, I mention that I’m recovering, been catching up on sleep. How are you? She pauses, and her face drops. Glances away and wipes away a single tear There’s a moment of quiet …
dread pirate
The first thing that draws my attention is his multi-layered pith helmet, straight from the jungle. Then, it’s his smooth black leather jacket and cargo pants. Finally, the flip flops, toes peeking out, nestled atop the pedals and carving his rhythmic cadence. He’s flying. A swashbuckler, land pirate. All flair and dash, on full display, …
roden tia
I sit alone downstairs, bathing in warm light. The rest of the family dozes, floors up. Typing away, aiming to finish this late night work. The street is a dark chocolate, when suddenly it gets darker. The orange street light cuts out. Must be time for bed I peer out the glass, barely making the …
swab
The throat started to hurt on Sunday but it wasn’t quite enough to keep me home. More an annoyance. You should go get it checked. Nah, it’s fine. I don’t always listen to J’s wise voice of reason. So, fast forward 48 hours and the throat is still raw. We’re blessed with an amazing school …
hoods or hats
I’m nearing the end of sharing yesterday’s slice with the kids. I’ve been trying on some new moves and curious to see how they land in a room full of 9-year olds. Savvy literary aficionados or not, they still listen. And this, after years in this profession, still amazes me. Kids love a great story. …
