Trimming the Tree Alone

I turn off the unholiness that is cable newsand cue the music, but it’s all wrong—endless notes strung like garlandsof wrecked memories, love songs, breakupsongs, dance songs. Silence is worse,so I settle on the eternal balm of Laura Nyro. Then “Lonely Women” comes on, and I rush in to fast-forward to the next song.I pick […]