self-contained, sleek as a
seal, with real world interests
like the Environment and Economics

at times our privacies would
intersect, resulting in a round
of giggles but never diving
anywhere near intimacy – not
wanting to intrude (did I intrude?)
our realms stayed separate – your
underwater studies, my unfortunate boyfriends

vitality in your veins all
arms and legs untangled from
the complex math of families –
one plus one, multiply, divide,
add, subtract, and then apply
a monetary calculus no less –
who knows where it will
lead your going fast out-
growing sports and looking now
for cars? careers? a future?

after our encounter (one
and only one), you said I
was “fun” – your bubbly nipple
lips were red and spoke
like preacher’s sons to me –
numb and not sure “fun”
applied here, virtual girl of
distance on a planet orbiting
her own skin’s surface, defended
(defenseless) as a mystic peanut

activist with paint brush, invoking
rights – right to assemble, right
to teampaint signs and (I)
Miss Free Speech banners –
she glows with effort to SOS
(Save our Station) and dance
onboard over radio waves dark
well, pulling strings, weaving web
that works, beyond conspiracies – she
talks, I hear Democracy singing

of the airplanes busy jetsitter
who then comes home to
a garden of grace with
curved lines and proper energy
permanent center among friends – comets
circling your sales while you
tend soles and films attend
jazzercise and jersey a royal
focus on your palatial roof
English toffee tea on deck

tall golden goodlooking helped my
walkabout away from Napa although
almost strangers we share nieces,
nephews and both coasts crossing
paths on summer vacations, regattas,
graduations we don’t know much
about you but curious – what
do you like? who are
your friends? where are you
going? how do you do?

ingenious goddess serving java
and tea traveler to Irish isles,
north south west and east
seeking every last diary collection
woman to whom nothing is
impossible once she sets her
long hair mind to it except
her mother’s death mourning
on god’s porch to host
haiku from all town poets