CJ Woods III’s Story Archive

Call Your Mom

May 9, 2024 | by CJ Woods III

On Saturday, May 9th, as I walked through Irvington with my friend, I saw a sign or T-shirt in a shop window. I did not turn to examine it more closely, but the message was “Call Your Mom.” It resonated with me because of a conversation with my sister on … Read More

Glasses On, Glasses Off

May 2, 2024 | by CJ Woods III

The young assistant district attorney approached the jury. She leaned against the rail and scanned the jury box. Alexandra Cabot appeared to be in her mid-30s, and in most of the previous episodes of Law and Order: SVU that I had watched, she wore glasses. But now, before she spoke … Read More

A Little Red Fox

April 25, 2024 | by CJ Woods III

The note written by my mother swam to the surface of the detritus of my life as I was searching for a pair of shoes. I found the shoes in a box at the top of a closet; next to the shoe box was a smaller box, decorated with a … Read More

Birds On The Lawn

April 18, 2024 | by CJ Woods III

A skirmish line of European Starlings marched across my lawn, heads bobbing and bills stabbing the grass. The sun had yet to convince the dandelions to unfurl from their tightly wrapped night-sleep, but rain had soaked the lawn. I stood in silent witness to the approach of the birds, watching … Read More

The Poetry of April: Redux

April 11, 2024 | by CJ Woods III

My friend in Florida sent me a text message telling me to expect an early birthday gift. My birthday is in March, but her gift was delivered to me late in February. She was excited about the present because she knows that I love poetry. The gift was a book … Read More