The Poetry Marathon

In the morning I will *redacted* *redacted* *redacted* *redacted*

even though I am alone

I will check with my elderly neighbor and see if she would like to *redacted* *redacted*

even though she is alone

In the morning I will remember when we were not alone.

Would you like to give your time?
I do not like it, Dexta-I-fear.
I do not like to volunteer.

Would you like to volunteer here or there?
I would not like to here or there.
I would not like to anywhere.
I do not like to volunteer.
I do not like to, Dexta-I-fear.

Would you like to take a plane?
Would you like to take a train?
I do not like to take a plane.
I do not like to take a train.
I do not like to here or there.
I do not like to anywhere.
I do not like to volunteer.
I do not like to, Dexta-I-fear.

Would you like to on the phone?
Would you like to in a home?
Not on the phone. Not in a home.
Not on a train. Not on a plane.
I would not volunteer here or there.
I would not do it anywhere.
I would not like to volunteer.
I would not like it, Dexta-I fear.

Would you? Could you? After a fire?
Volunteer! Volunteer! You are retired!
I would not, could not, after a fire.
You may like to in a pool.
You may like even in a school.

I would not like to in a pool.
Not a chance! Not in a school.
I do not like to after a fire.
I do not like to though I'm retired.
I do not like to on the phone.
I do not like to in a home.
I do not like to take a plane.
I do not like to take a train.
I do not like to here or there.
I do not like to anywhere.
I do not like to volunteer.
I do not like to, Dexta-I fear.

Say! In the flood? Here in the flood!
Would you, could you, in the flood?
I would not, could not, in the flood.
Would you, could you, give the blood?
I would not, could not in the flood.
Not give the blood. Not on the phone.
Not in a home. Not on the plane.
Not on the train. I do not like to volunteer.
I do not like to, Dexta-I fear.
Not after a fire. Not when I'm retired.
Not in a pool. Not in a school.
I will not volunteer here or there.
I do not like to anywhere!

You do not like to volunteer?
I do not like to, Dexta-I fear.
Would you, could you, with a defibrillator?
I would not, could not, with a defibrillator.
Would you, could you, in a shelter?
I could not, would not, in a shelter.
I will not, will not, with a defibrillator.
I will not do it in the flood.
I will not do it giving blood.
I will not do in on the phone.
I will not do it in the home.
I will not do it on the plane. 
I will not do it on the train.
I will not do it after a fire.
I will not do it when I'm retired.
I will not do it in a pool.
I will not do it in a school.
I do not like to here or there.
I do not like to anywhere!
I do not like to volunteer!
I do not like to, Dexta-I fear.


You do not like to. So you say.
Try it! Try it! And you may.
Try it and you may, I say.
Dexta, If you let me be,
I will try it. You will see.

(... and he volunteers ...)

Say! I like to volunteer!
I do! I like to, Dexta, my dear!
And I would do it with a defibrillator.
And I would do it in a shelter.
And I would do it in a flood.
And I would do it giving blood.
And on the phone. And in a home.
And on a plane. And on a train.
And after a fire. And when I'm retired.
And in a pool. And in a school.
And I will do it here and there.
Say! I will volunteer anywhere!
I do so like to give my time!
Thank you! Thank you! Dexta-so fine!

The closet in the room once held the dresses Zack refused to wear

Of course, he was a little girl then

but had I known then what was going on,

he could have been spared some amount of grief

Once he opened the closet in our bible-belt situated house

I couldn’t get him out of here fast enough

college and graduate school were elsewhere

The closet is now filled with gifts from his baby shower

and I will take them to him when I drive out for a visit next week

Friends ask what he is now that he’s a mother

He’s Zack until he tells me otherwise, I say

He’s still Zack

framed pastel mangoes

farmers market in Hilo

makes my mother proud

If I had hope I’d call you back

and calm you down the way you like

while Croce sings you lullabies

and Peter, Paul and Mary cry

If I had hope I’d apologize

and swear not to do it again

while you tell me of my many sins

and insist again to let you win

If I had hope I’d pamper you

and cook you all your favorite foods

like strogonoff and chuckwagon beans

while you, my dear, would pick my bones clean

If I had hope, if I had hope

I’d turn from you and all the hurt

for what is love when I’m sorely spent

nobody gives a damn where I went

Cinnamon sprinkled on my cheesy egg buckets

was sure to start the day off right

even if the elk were not feeding in the bayou yet

and I had to wear my hunting jacket to eat cereal in the carport

again

The preacher for the graveside service was provided by the funeral home

called my father Jesse for the entire ceremony

but his name was Jess

Being laid to rest under a false name

on a cold and rainy November morning

is a sad way to exit this world

who knew that weeding the garden

could spark a neighbor to do the same

my actions for the benefit of the herbs

hers for the summer melons

to empower a community of strangers

who knew that weeding the garden

could jump-start a nascent movement

and the young would buy into their own agency

turns out the majority lusts for something to be proud of

and fresh tomatoes and pesto

who knew that weeding the garden

could change the tilt of the earth’s axis

a common purpose and shared knowledge

empowers us with self-reliance

and trust in others to grow a better life

who knew that weeding the garden

the medieval faithful believed Spain’s Cape Finisterre was the end of the world

and to sail beyond that horizon was to fall off the very face of the earth

I stand on the rocky shore and feed the strands of my mother’s hair to the Atlantic

I release her to the other side

my feet planted in this world

without her

I watch the sun’s slant in the gloaming hours

energy soaks the wood planks on the floor

long after the last box has been loaded

but before the first memories folded

us out the door