still in touch although our
correspondence doesn’t make it
past the quick exchange of newsy
notes at holidays – roommates twice
and easy with arrangements, glad
to say – fascinating facts: her
wardrobe of athletic shoes and
we both drive hybrids; energy
concerned in many ways, another
dedicated fan of solar power
great person to work with
and I’m glad we stayed
in touch after the big
layoffs – she designs and codes,
I write, it works – now
in Switzerland, mothering Miles, and
navigating tricky interfaces: how to
work, be mom, expatriate, stay
healthy, and have a liberal
voice at the same time
a girl from Gaithersburg who
had a talent for embroidery
there’s loose ends to be
woven in between us –
I behaved badly cast myself out
before anyone could cast me out –
I liked her well enough,
just had no knack for friendship,
night skies then were starry,
cold, mute, merciless
busload of teens from Idaho
touring the Big Apple – all
a-gog, a-glitter, and a-glow
with lights of 42nd Street, well
chaperoned by mom and grandma,
et al. – aunt and cousin (local
yokels) would have taken
her aside to see our
private New York City – but
that wasn’t going to happen
big round eyes as blue
as stones evil sun tattoo
crawls on his forearm most
often found in baseball cap
and jeans slung back driving
the sporty keyboard with finesse
and the doomed intelligence that
lurks within this species – hardass
lightly glazed with sweetness, gossip
that could lure you in –
refuge on a Petaluma hillside,
back yard patio where he
and Jerry grow Meyer lemons
and the kaffir lime leaves
lots of fun to visit opening
doors to laughter, windows
onto questions and discussion,
then more privileged views of their
routine, all the workday hallelujahs
going on behind the screen
the artist’s way – her personality
doesn’t match the exaltation of
her work, prim as a collar,
quiet as a glove, precise
with her materials and tools –
yet she stores her
manytreasures in a castle
or a ruin or a reliquary,
lavishly appointed, of this
I have to say I’m sure