Dennis

sometimes I see you
along the road
only to find it’s a trick of the light
or just more corn waving, distorted in
peripheral vision

or wishful thinking?

I slow down for men
on bicycles
carrying heavy loads
maybe even their entire lives
on two encumbered wheels

you asked for so little
less than I would have given
a cup of coffee, bowl of soup
potato
my favorite

you wanted a place to sit
for awhile

I tried talking
me in my rampant civility

you disinterested
sipping soup, loudly slurping
the black swill cooking
since this morning
but to you it was like cool water
on the tongue of Dives

you just showed up sometimes
without a word
toppled senses of normalcy

never bathed
never changed
only added or removed layers
of already well-lived clothing

clean people
knocked off their sensibilities

maybe that’s why
I liked you

you disrupted our holy
gathering
our prideful complacency

dared us to be Christ to you
or at least civil

we shared caffeinated
communion
broke the muffin

you didn’t know my name
but I wept at your obituary


pmr 10/22/09