#NewThisDay Writing From My Photo Stream

North End, Boston, New Year’s Eve

until everyone we love

is safe is what you said.

~ Ellen Bryant Voigt, Practice

I am woken by a kiss. It’s Wave, climbing into bed. He has been awake for hours, from a bad dream, and he has been with Frank. It’s early for me, but I don’t mind. A cold New Year’s Eve morning. A non-busy day ahead. We have a plan to take Wave into Boston for some First Night celebrations in the afternoon. I make him a big breakfast, eggs and toast, and he eats well. I go to the track for a five-mile walk. I listen to a stunning poetry podcast––a tribute to the poet Ellen Bryant Voight who passed away this year. My face is blown red and chilled, and I like it. My body is warm enough and it’s only my face, and it’s bracing, a nice feeling. I work on poem revisions. I keep revising one that I workshopped three times this week. That sounds crazy as I write it. Today I seemed to cross over toward what I am clarifying. Perhaps. Lots of changes that I like, or that feel right to me. Today, anyway. And I began to take apart another poem that I’m reimagining and will take some time. I realize I will have a writing retreat this weekend to finish revising all the poems in preparation for putting order to the entirety. And as we tip into the new year, I have this energy. I tell Frank I’m going to do this, and I encourage him to go away with his friend to play tennis. In the early afternoon we head to the city, park in town and walk in Boston Garden to the skating rink where there is an ice skating show. It’s delightful. And my feet are frozen and he insists on being held throughout the show in his mother’s arms. We’re all very glad to be in the crowd but the cold is daunting. We drive to the North End and quickly find a restaurant that will take us. Yay! Except we have to keep our coats on because we’re near the door that opens again and again onto the cold street. It’s dark and loud and festive and fun. We have the most delicious pizza and Wave is very happy. Then on to our favorite coffee shop, a few doors down, The Thinking Cup. Then off to our favorite bakery––Bova’s, and there’s no line! The streets are mad busy with early revelers and soon we are heading home with our treats from our city trip. And the new year. Almost here.