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My sister married a sailor
and spends her time chasing
water underneath the bridge.
The bridge was never burnt
the night the torch was lit,
so now, she’s crossing it again,
returning home to watch
the window,
the harbor,
and the sea.

-written in 1979

Random Toddler Experience on the Subway today

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A young father with a daughter in a stroller joined me in the elevator down to the train. We said good morning. When I asked the little girl if she was enjoying her Cheerios she looked me straight in the eyes and then looked away silently. When I told her that Cheerios is my favorite cereal, she looked me straight in the eyes and then looked away silently. As the elevator stopped and the door opened, I told her and her dad that I hope they have a good day. She looked me straight in the eyes and then looked away silently. When her father started to back out of the elevator the toddler lifted one hand from the little cup holding her cereal and started shouting at me as loudly as she could, “Bye-bye. Bye-bye.”

In Memoriam

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Whiskey all around for all
who go
quietly, almost unnoticed,
who never made an obvious difference,
who never brought anyone
to anger,
to laughter,
to grief.
Jameson perhaps for the unfamilied, unfriended,
Old Forester perhaps for the homeless
Maker’s Mark
straight up for the interchangeable
priests who brings solace,
Auchentoshan for the rest of us
toasting
the ordinary
and the
long forgotten.

Random conversation on the commuter bus

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Friend: Did you enjoy your turkey on Thanksgiving?
Me: I don’t eat turkey.
Friend: Oh, that’s right. You’re a vegetarian or something. You don’t eat meat.
Me: Yup.
Friend: Well, what did you eat instead of turkey?
Me: What?
Friend: What did you, you know, put on your plate instead of turkey?
Me: Nothing. It isn’t something I think needs replaced.
Friend:
Friend:
Friend: