Never Let Go

like a stack of snail mail
and not a single bill

like the scent of your dad’s
pipe smoke five years later

like playing poker with a pro
and winning half the hands

like the taste of peach gum
better than the fruit

like a flower in your garden
so perfect, it looks fake

like the vivid memory of a mistake
you’ll never make again

like a smile from a stranger
when you needed one most

like your favorite pen
that keeps writing and writing

like time left on the parking meter
and no ticket on your windshield

like sharing a secret
kept safe with a friend

like learning the hard way
that alcohol is poison

like your favorite song playing
on the radio on your birthday

like texting when talking
is too difficult

like a red rose pressed
into the family Bible

like the scent of mothballs
in Nana’s closet

like sharing a vanilla cone
with your poochie best friend

like riding in the back of a pickup
in a warm June breeze

like you and your muse
thinking the same thoughts

like grasping hands
of long goodbyes

~ J R Turek
June 26, 2021   Hour 13