A day on the water
has burned them and perfumed them,
the beer and sweat,
the salty sun. My mother sighs and grips
the cold green enamel of the stove behind her
Their conquests of the day laid out
at her feet in coolers of ice topped with heavy lids;
treasures stolen from a deep dark place.
All satisfied smiles and buzzed laughter,
they retreat. Their work here is done.

My Grandmother, tiny,
compact, wordlessly appears
at my mother's side and begins
the ritual of cleaning
and cooking the New Year's Day fish.
She knows what this is about.
She props my mother up
for the long years ahead.

She keeps me out of the kitchen.
She tells me to stay outside and play.
This is no place for you,
she says.

After living in Florida, Louisiana, California, Massachusetts, and Arizona, Tina Carlone has settled happily in Portland, Oregon with her husband Brian and their cat Ruby. She is currently working towards her Bachelor degree at Marylhurst University in creative writing, after which she hopes to pursue an MFA. If she's lucky, Tina spends her free time gardening, camping, and bird watching.

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