Watching The Family Stone Each Holiday Season
The ceremonial necessities are as follows:
Polka-dot pajamas
Fuzzy slippers
Hot popcorn
Steaming tea
Tissue
The candles must be lit & flames at attention
The others must be asleep & stepping into dreamland
The dogs must be snuggled on the sofa, bum-to-bum
Starting the film opens the gates
I am the kitchen the food the clothing the gifts the words
I am each character each story in the wintertime telling
I am afraid of getting the c-word & seeing death
Between falling snowflakes
I weep I weep I weep
Into the yard of my holiday hope – sorrow seeds
Planting trees in my internal forest of Family
Its ever-evolving life force vibrating
This inward-ing this alone-ing
A ceremonial gift to the self
Before the unhooking of the
Previous year
From my soul
VANESSA SHIELDS, writer 