"What are the new neighbors like?" Mom asked. "I hope they fit in."
Brody wondered how or where the new neighbors were supposed to fit. Adults said the weirdest things sometimes.
Pa told us to keep the ache, to bury it, / to never let it go.
She wants to see it, the sky, haloed in horizon, sprawled out in a panorama. Overwhelmed by emotion, Gwyneth’s eyes shift out of focus. But she sees it — the light — flickering in front of her. Calling out to her.
"We can give you the key to save your father. But you are required to perform certain tasks, to demonstrate your worth and your commitment. So here, my thistle princess, is what I will need you to do."
I learned that apologies come / after the table is cleared
For somebody who freezes time as a trade, the one moment I wished to preserve the most was also the only one I couldn’t.
Ma, remember how you would hold me?
It was on days just like these:
we took naps under the curtains,
dozed off sun—us steamed sweet
like overused bamboo baskets
Simon hated the swan, but Mom loved it, and so he tried to love it too.
"She has a name. She had a family. She has a will of her own. I want you to remember that. Be careful. Be kind. And always remember that she is as much a person as you are.”
When I was a young boy, I had a spectacular adventure. I've know better than most how fickle Time can be. I feel him peering over my shoulder as I write. I hope you’ll let me finish before it’s time to go, old friend.