KD

july eleventh


today I'll plant lettuces
and a new round of dill
two kinds of peas, golden sweet and English wonder
some milkweed and purple annuals

laundry's put away,
sheets are in the dryer
dishes have all been stacked,
leftover pie crust baked
into small crescent moons
savory-- with mushrooms and thyme

I'll try not to wonder if you like mushrooms.


Later I could fold dish towels
and iron a few shirts
there's a pedagogy book to read
and stacks of music to practice
a candle to light, a prayer or two to send out
leftover pho for lunch

I'll do all this, and more too
to put off thinking about you

The Swedish sourdough cinnamon cardamom buns will take
ten or twelve hours-- that'll get me through
til tomorrow
unless
if I stop and remember this Christmas
when you told me about the design on my clogs
painted by hand by those damn Swedes
and how I found you so damn sweet

and you told me this spring how music was a reason to live
and I said, and so are clogs!
and you said, and so are mittens!

and oh, how I would make you so many pairs
of mittens
for your precious hands.


But I'm not thinking about this today,
or tomorrow, maybe not even until Saturday,
but it would be best to wait until Sunday.

yes, Sunday, I'll think about you then, perhaps.