Again, the smallest yet not small
At all. Question–three-thousand souls,
Babies, farmers, children, wives, daughters
Sons, life unrequited living together
More harmony; when someone hurts
We remember morning kindnesses done to me
When I bother, I am old with stories intrigue
From gunmen, casualty,
We gather as harmonics
Into our harmony, more than weekly
That becomes our tenderness our understanding
Of old men tied with frayed rope ends
Their own grandsons never
Leaving behind smallest money caught
Within four hours, forgotten fourteen years
Later, until I remember prison for these boy,-men,
Left to sit in sadness rest to live, nothing after.
I am 67-years-old, they said
To me as I faltered in Dollar
Store, "I would work if I could
I would care for customers,
Cashier their Christmas gifts
Their unusual and delicate items,
What they could afford!"
They said softly, "Not now dear friend
Is someone waiting for you? You
Deserve rest from weary travels!"
"Did you know when I was 19-years-
Old, I flew to Europe, had love this rose
In New York City, I gave her a rose. She
Insisted I stay overnight on her floor
While she sobbed for my fate, as
My wisdom within me said no
It was not time to blossom, be forgiven!"
She guided me to The Old Crick Museum
Center of city, huge, wandering one
Day together, with me in bus to Kennedy
Kissed in public on that bus. Yes, insisted
To follow me to International Airport
Bound for Amsterdam, flew to Old City"
Only Memories as two children, me
Child vagabond, flying into Innocence
And Experience, walking, ridding bike;
Now reporting my old story to
Dollar Store to busy clerk, she took
Time to listen as she unbounded dozens
Of dolls for children, hot cars for children.
"Sir, you deserve rest, walked life's only
Journey. Now just do what's natural,"
Sit by my fire, write my stories good
Sweet memories, now of my beauty
My own sweetness." Of course, all she
Said was this, "You deserve , your arthritis
Does it hurt today, you're back, we love
Your stories." I make them fashion musical
Words into pictures of my past for my love,
For this woman I stayed eleven years later
Now from that point almost 37 years ago,
More than memory, this realty, better
Than any thing imaginably, mind
Thinking back ever back, she reminds
Me, "Dear, live now, live in 'The Now!'
Joy in Good Fortune, Let our hearts joyful
We rejoice in life itself joy in life itself."
So college girls 48 years ago, reminiscent
Of my pride gone before all those falls,
My wife for 36 years, "Dear one, I knew
What this meant on June 12, nearly four
Decades more than half our lives lived
Now memories don't count. It's now
Still fashion your poetry, poems of light!"
