Thursday, November 26, 2009

armed and to the point

so elderly neighbor lady
sees M. outside
leaves house of disease
and saunters over

fumbling with her hands,
asks sotto voce
after checking both ways
if we’ll be leaving soon for Italy

then nods as if helping
with the anticipated answer.
M. says The Man has left
while she’ll go in another week

neighbor lady sagely nods again,
considers, and says
uh, call if there’s any problem
a long pause

M. leans on the rake,
waiting her out
under long blue November skies

until at last neighbor lady,
fearing for M’s safety
clears her throat ,
quite serious now, glances askance
then looks earthward
to humbly explain

that if M. calls
uh, her husband,
the grumpy mid-octogenarian
will run right over
in the middle of the night (chuckle)
as he’s licensed to carry a loaded weapon. (OMG!)

this is the groundskeeper who mows
three times a day
with various loud riding mowers
because six of our vagrant leaves
have carried deftly his way
on the prevailing
autumn light winds

2 comments:

TomC said...

Whoa... this is some heady writing! I could see it all go down in my mind's eye. Thank you Jack.

jack sender said...

TomC,

It’s quite a world out there, isn’t it?

Way back in the radio days they used to say one letter was worth 150 listeners who had intention to write but didn’t.

If I ever put these poems into one book you’ll only cost me one to give away, but it is worth much more for consistent support and encouragement.

Thank you, TomC.

To my other good readers: I know who you are, and am lousy at responding, even posting all comments, but don’t worry, you’re going to the good heaven too.

Keep your powder dry.