Wife After Showering
Niagara Falls
her silver hair
so long it
bounces off
the swan
of her back
and off
her buttocks
as she laughs
and waves
a towel too long
saluting the sun
and us
who share
another
golden morning
Possum
Driving to work
shortly after dawn
I saw a possum
on the asphalt
curled like a fetus
in a bucket
following a procedure
not covered
by insurance.
Rotary Dialers in a Cell Phone World
When rabbis dance an Irish jig
and Trappist monks eat matzoh balls,
cell phone people will realize
rotary dialers aren't always
"on the wrong side of history"
even if this ancient tribe
balks at any kind of change
and grumbles when they spot
men with earrings or
women with tattoos.
"Not that there's anything wrong
with that," Jerry Seinfeld might
have said but rotary dialers have
never been Seinfeld's biggest fans.
Lawrence Welk is still their man.
But rotary dialers do their best
to stay abreast of fashion
if they can't avoid it.
They want to prove they're not
"on the wrong side of history."
Donal Mahoney lives in St. Louis, Missouri.
Donal, we use to have party line one ring it was yours two rings the other party. Although we never partied. Tom Hatch
ReplyDeleteWell, Tom, I too remember party lines but I hate to think of the many decades that have marched by since the last time I heard of one, Everyone in the neighborhood was on one party line or other. It was a neighborhood of immigrants and some ot the English-speaking folks were disappointed because it was fun listening in on folks who spoke Polish or Croatian. Other people kept yelling at each other for years, not knowing who the other party was. Your system sounds civilized so I'm guessing it was rural. Mine was in Chicago when the original Richard Daley was mayor. In many ways I miss those days. although I don't miss the typewriter and carbon paper and Whiteout for mistakes.
ReplyDeleteDonal it was LA in the 50's too many mid and easterners headed west for Aero Space industry. There were still many ranches and bean fields rattle and king snakes. Before freeways too. Gas pumps with only two pumps 2 dollars of regular got windshield cleaned and oil checked. Not enough phones to go arround was my point. Best regards Tom Hatch...really like your work have enjoyed many over the last couple of years.
ReplyDeleteMr Mahoney: Wife After Showering truly expresses love. Even after being together years and sharing passion for so long, this poem speaks like love is fresh, you are young and she is the sweetest person you ever met. The poem is special. Please credit the inspiration. haha
ReplyDelete