Special Effort

i.
Dark blue wool suit
white oxford-cloth shirt
tie thin-striped sober creams and grays
black leather shoes polished scuff-free
leather briefcase and portfolio
pad of yellow paper
Waterman fountain pen

ii.
Shiny-fabric medium gray suit
slight puddle of non-cuffed pants over
black-laced black dress sneakers
T-shirt printed slogan and image
no tie
laptop and canvas case

iii.
Important meeting
presentation to a group
faces looking up at you
expecting.
Forty years ago
today.

iv.
Doesn’t matter.
Nervous energy and you press your
a little bit sweaty
 
hands down the front of your thighs
before you gather up your thoughts
and begin to speak.

1/25/18
2/1/18