fragile sparkling early morning web
of our communications – cyber and
in correspondence circles of exchange –
gone now, swept away maybe
by eagle’s wings while hunting
rabbits, mice, under the sagebrush –
more subtle web she wove endures
although transformed by time
from thread to strands more
fine, now wire, silver, gold
night and day we miss
you, miss your lattés,
miss the stools at your café
helping out behind the counter
or with cleaning or repairs
watching your falafel balls fall
brown and crispy from the
spoon, oh sir why did
you leave us, will you
come back? come back soon
intro to graphic design II
at the community college – now
in COLOR – teacher herself studying
conceptual art, she had a concept
haircut, concept outfits, concept
jewelry, and a hypersensitivity to
“bad design” that must have
left her always sick and
reeling as she traveled ugly
hallways trying to stay blind
vastly improbable assignment –
Brothers Karamazov in its entirety
to religion class in high school –
well, I read it, but gained little –
too confused by Fyodoroviches,
too shy to discuss the parable
of the Grand Inquisitor, too
young to know assignments
could be vain attempts by
faithless men to challenge God
poetry as a form of
consolation, but for what?
the audience, once held captive
at the open mike where he MCd,
doesn’t know but listens
politely to his rhythmic tales
of animal pals, Zen lite, and
dating escapades – now,
countless quatrains later, we’re
all tired and ready to move on
intro to graphic design at
the community college – soundtrack
Rumba Catalana, Gipsy Kings,
young teacher quiet and easy on the
eyes – opening up to marvelous
handwork in his classroom, still
using tools, techniques I learned
there – later returned as “client”
with a poetry anthology cover
design project for his classroom
heavy machinery man – he
purchased first a grader then
a dump truck (not sure what
he does with them) – also
engaged in the heavy machinery
of the heart – after sister’s
death, took her young son
into his family – before too
long the boy asked if he
could call him “Dad”