one of the two sisters
from Tell City – same wrinkles,
frowny smile, housedress, but she
was taller, slightly stooped, with
darker hair, and more reserved –
a kindly presence with an
edge of shyness unto fear –
although her namesake (?) I can’t
claim much of a connection –
she barely spoke to me

my best roomie ever – proving
you can grow into having
roommates, better in your 40’s,
50’s, 60’s and more fun
at a writing conference than
as an undergraduate, especially when
she’s Learned Traveler with Pen
and sackful of adventures, and
writes snug in her “cockpit”
from her Evergreen home base

massive nun taught chemistry
clad in well-cut modern habit –
knee-length, short sleeves, yards
of seams and darts – evilly inspired
by expanse of off-white monotone,
I see it as a canvas –
for what marks??? – probably still
resentful for her saying only
boys excelled at chemistry,
even though I had the A’s

in the hard luck house
next door the centaur had
a sister my age whose
attraction was her casual wardrobe –
sweatshirt, powder blue, worn inside
out with rough cropped sleeves –
she had the coolest style
I had ever seen, defined
southwest for this midwestern girl
(they came from New Mexico)

short round receptionist at Health
Department, handled “vital records” cheerfully
while negotiating gossip’s swamps with
care – single, dating, and (my intuition)
somewhat off kilter (although I
couldn’t pinpoint how) – occasionally
wore a towering curly wig, an
imposing and Victorian confection –
made a custom birth certificate
for me on paper blue-for-boy

sharp guy slick hair big
ring shined shoes tanned skin
pricey suits short stature bulging
neck NewYawk attitude combative
stance smoker’s voice abrasive style –
I always thought it was probably
a disadvantage for him to
be named after a saint
so obviously and that’s the
main reason I remember him