From the collection And Don’t Come Back, 2021.

On Monday

What I want is
these two opposite things at once
or maybe alternate them
or could be first one then the other
but sometimes I want this third thing
I don’t know yet but
That’s what she was saying
with a great deal of energy
while I sipped my iced tea and thought
she didn’t expect me to be so old
did she? when she came in the door
I could see it on her face
that flicker of adjustment
and then gone but still
I am a revision from
what she expected
when we arranged to meet
this first time in person
but to be honest
I didn’t expect her to be so young.
I sipped my iced tea
and nodded.

1/30/20