One

planning to be without

the group I once joined

then turned away from

one map, one bicycle, one

[RK, 11/25/20]

 

 

I’m Forwarding This with My Original Comments

messaging and emails make it easier

to make more mistakes, imagine more

misunderstandings

[RK, 11/25/20]

 

 

Worrying About Things that Could Happen When I’m Not Paying Attention

house painters trampling the garden

flat tire at night on a rural state highway

bears following for no apparent reason

lightning charges burning out a router

 

changing affections

loss of friendship

prostate cancer

death

 

the list naturally truncates itself

[RK, 11/25/20]

 

 

Did You Do That? (after I Never Do That)

I stitch together paper and canvas, paint and pencil

(did you do that?)

yes a long time ago

(it doesn’t really count anymore, does it?)

there is a glow in the ashes

(you can’t eat ashes)

one does not eat memories, one handles them gently, like ghosts, or roughly, like rugby.

(where are your philosophical and mathematical proofs?)

at the side of the road, with my ideals

(that must depress you excessively)

let me be more exact: at the side of the road, two thousand ninety-one miles and eight thousand and thirty days behind me

(did you do that?)

yes a long time ago

[RK, 11/25/20]

 

 

Awareness (after Taking Down the Screens)

the implied line of defense

provided by window screens

when damaged and removed

 

the importance of yard lines, septic tanks

roof tar, weather stripping, locks,

bolts, clean gutters, a secure mailbox

 

snail mail, social media messages

telephones, correct email addresses

the commitment between just two

[RK, 11/25/20]

 

 

Bread (after Common Ground)

will we break the bread?

only if it is made from rice flour

 

language will connect us? yes or no?

confrontation is part of communication

 

agree to disagree?

the easy way out!

 

is there a gluten intolerance?

very well then, I contradict myself

[RK, 11/25/20]

How To Draw Exactly What You See

the horse has four legs

or does it?

there are three vanishing points

or are there?

the saw-whet owl’s eyes face forward

or do they?

autumn leaves are

or are they?

photographs never

or do they?

this is what you

or was it?

[RK, 11/25/20]

 

 

Distribution (after Diagnosing the Problem)

how many bags are needed

to solve the luggage problem of distribution

 

how many jars of peanut butter

did we bring

 

why do you question my desire

to photograph a stack of drying dishes

 

the dishes are part of the distribution

of elegantly packed memories

 

I throw your need for appropriate behavior

upward, it revolves around the earth

 

moments are spent awaiting

the solution of orbital decay

[RK, 11/25/20]