“What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” by Norah Jones
Lansing’s downtown ice rink
is significantly more crowded
than last time I was here
the ice itself nicked and overworked
the fairy lights
dancing like june bugs over the faces
of laughing families
couples holding mittened hands.
For the last two hours
I’ve been skating around in circles
trying to stay warm
trying to keep
my intrusive thoughts at bay.
I have no idea if Lyric
saw my live
or ifshe is going to show up
but I’m here
going in circles
making new tracks
trying to remember
this is my life to live.
This morning
over eggs and coffee
I sat Mom and Mama down
and told them I was going to do it
take a gap year
that I owed it to myself
to see it through.
Mom pursed her lips
