Friends & Neighbors
Neighbors
When we lived in the city we used to leave the lights on
to keep away the burglars. Now we leave the lights off
to keep away the neighbors. My mom says it’s because
there’s always a chance we’ll like the burglars.
New Friend
I’m at that point in the day where I’m tired of myself, she said,
so if you don’t mind, I’m going to be someone else until bedtime
& we had a lovely time together, my new friend & I.
Moving Day
I think you love people until you get to understand them,
she said & I said, what happens then?
& she said, o, that’s when you move away.
Missing Piece (M)
Wanting him to come back before anyone notices a part of the world has not moved since he left
Living Memory
I carry you with me into the world,
into the smell of rain
& the words that dance between people
& for me, it will always be this way,
walking in the light,
remembering being alive together
Lifetime
We’re here to end it, I said & she said, No, we’re here to begin it & then she turned & opened her arms & everywhere I could see, there were people, like bright birds, calling with a thousand voices & suddenly I understood. Here is where it begins with all of us, together giving our daughters a world worth loving for a lifetime to come.
Late Night
In the end, I think that I will like that we were sitting on the bed, talking & wondering where the time had gone.
Landscape of the Heart (Feminine)
It is still so new & all we see is the empty space, but that is not how it is in the landscape of the heart. There, there is no empty space & she still laughs & grapples with ideas & plans & nods wisely with each of us in turn. We are proud to have known her. We are proud to have called her friend.
Landscape of the Heart (Masculine)
It is still so new & all we see is the empty space, but that is not how it is in the landscape of the heart. There, there is no empty space & he still laughs & grapples with ideas & plans & nods wisely with each of us in turn. We are proud to have known him. We are proud to have called him friend.
Jello Salad
There are 7 levels of hell, she said, & I think one of them is reserved for people who bring jello salads to every potluck they go to.
Kindred Spirits
You’re the strangest person I ever met, she said & I said you too & we decided we’d know each other a long time.
Know Too Much
I have to hate you, she said. You know too much about me to be trusted.
Iron John
One day he decided he was more dependent on the kindness of women than he liked so he went off to hunt wild beasts with his bare hands. But all he found was a stray dog & a couple of old pigeons & it was cold & he missed the sound of soft voices, so finally he came back & never worried about it again.
Identical Twins
identical twins in the way they see the world as long as they don’t discuss who threw their vote away in the last election
Idle Chatter
How’s it going? I said & she said it was all going perfectly, unless I’d heard differently.
Imaginary Numbers
I have a friend who does numerology in California & she called me up one night & said that 444 was the number of Wal-Mart, which is 30 percent off of 666 & we were both amazed & then I hung up the phone & said now I remember why we moved to Iowa.
Impartial Judge
Impartial Judge unless there are treats involved
Hospitality Smile
not sure whether to smile too much because someone might put them on the hospitality committee
Hors d’oeuvres
I think my best self lives in my stomach, she said, & only comes out around the hors d’oeuvres at parties.
I think you can tell a lot about people from the hors d’oeuvres.
I nodded & hid my Vienna sausage in a big plant in the hall & avoided her for the rest of the evening.
Higher Math
We looked at the numbers on the blackboard
& after awhile I finally asked if they made sense to him
& he said no, I think they’re just there to keep the riffraff out.