<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s2" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">New Year’s 1960</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s2" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""> </span></p><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">I’d change into pajamas long before </span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">dark</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">to speed the celebration.</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">Four sisters huddled around the Magnavox</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">eyes on Times Square,</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">the promise of tickertape</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">cocooned in its casing.</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""> </span></p><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">In the fridge a platter of deli </span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">sandwiches we called Sloppy Joes,</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">the thrill of yellow crinkled plastic</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">Dad called excelsior.</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">The giant hood</span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">—</span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">a see-through shower cap;</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">the </span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">crackle</span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"> when I</span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">’d</span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"> sn</span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">eak</span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"> a Gherkin.</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""> </span></p><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">My parents would light for a minute in the doorway</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">like luminous moths</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">Mom in her bouffant helmet</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">Dad looking sheepish in a bow tie and tux</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">a tendril of Chanel Number 5</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">Her scented calling card.</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""> </p><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">In the den excitement bloomed</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">for resolutions not yet written nor even dreamed </span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">how the new year might bring calmer dinners</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">a balm to sooth my mother’s ire</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">weaken </span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">the Louisville Slugger</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">of her right arm</span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">.</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""> </span></p><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">Could it whisk away </span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">the kindly piano teacher</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">who reeked of Aqua Velva</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">or </span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">the torment of daily practice?</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">Would it </span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">resurrect</span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"> the jumping pony</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">whose velvet flank I l</span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">ived</span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"> for all week long?</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""> </span></p><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">We</span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">’d keep </span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">each other awake</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">with </span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">sugared</span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"> visions</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">each in her own ellipse</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">‘til Guy Lombardo lowered the mirrored ball</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">and we would scream</span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">, </span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">jump on couches, </span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">whack each other with pillows.</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span style="line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""> </span></p><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">Soon my parents would reappear</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">Dad a little tipsy</span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">, </span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">the only time I saw him </span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">like that</span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">the enormity of the </span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">question </span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">this image raised</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">the impossible hope</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">that the new year could bring</span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"> </span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">some kind of ease</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">some chink in the armor</span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">, </span><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;">no matter how slight.</span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><br class=""></span></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;" class=""><span class="s3" style="line-height: 13.199999809265137px;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>- Sandra Anfang</span></div></div></body></html>