(no subject)
one of my very favorite
habits of my father
is his rising at six am
to sit in his chair
on the front porch
with a book.
but he doesn't read it.
he watches and listens.
my father,
the armchair ecologist
knows the songs of the birds
the favorite hideouts
of the skunks
The turning of the leaves
The blooming of the milkweed.
today
i awoke early
from a restless sleep
and called in sick again
but,
determined to be less miserable,
walked outside
barefoot
to the lake
and stood ankle-deep
watching the fish
eat their breakfasts.
i noticed
that hanging above me
was my breakfast,
the purple clusters
smelling of new wine.
so i chewed
as i walked up the hill,
past a garter snake
(i haven't seen one in years)
and about a hundred
indian paintbrushes.
and i felt
a little bit better.
habits of my father
is his rising at six am
to sit in his chair
on the front porch
with a book.
but he doesn't read it.
he watches and listens.
my father,
the armchair ecologist
knows the songs of the birds
the favorite hideouts
of the skunks
The turning of the leaves
The blooming of the milkweed.
today
i awoke early
from a restless sleep
and called in sick again
but,
determined to be less miserable,
walked outside
barefoot
to the lake
and stood ankle-deep
watching the fish
eat their breakfasts.
i noticed
that hanging above me
was my breakfast,
the purple clusters
smelling of new wine.
so i chewed
as i walked up the hill,
past a garter snake
(i haven't seen one in years)
and about a hundred
indian paintbrushes.
and i felt
a little bit better.