Category: The Twelve Pack

Grandma and Grandpop never called it the Depression –
the Great Depression of textbooks,
they spoke of “ the Slump.”
What was it like?
I was then 19 – had studied economics, was curious to learn
fiction and fact .. from the matter of fact.

Best not to know,
Lord have mercy it never happens again –
but, on second thoughts,
19 is beyond childhood, old enough to vote, or go to war

What was it like?
Grandma said a man came to the house
selling, but no salesman
a silver tea set : family heirloom
it was beautiful – the price almost nothing,
but still too much.
The man turned away … and then back
afternoon was leaving, soon it would be night
the price was now whatever my grandfather had in his pocket
– a few shillings,
he handed them to the man, and shook his head.

Orphaned Islands (Un)poetry wishes all readers a happy and fulfilling New Year

“ Gerald ” –
people still spoke his name,
sometimes,
occasionally,
infrequently,
but
in the softest possible way, always.
Handled the sentence in which it appeared
as if mohair, or silk.

He was gone before I started
gone from the workplace,
the town,
the world
one day as afternoon turned to evening
coming back from extension classes
for his diploma.
Motorbike + truck + inattention = death.

I was the inheritor,
after the inheritor.
His name was still on the staff board,
my predecessor’s removed before I commenced
mine, sometime between Monday and Friday of my last week
but Gerald’s remained.