Prior to Departure



The old man

opens the

airport bar

at 5 am.


He wipes down the bar stools,

chops lemons and limes,

completes his morning inventory.

 

He subsequently directs his attention

to a television screen

behind the bar.

 

He is not particularly

interested in sports highlights

but what are his options?

 

Monitor the departure board?

 

He has witnessed enough

departure. 

 
~

Grave Marker

 

I notice one,

covered with dirt

and leaves                                                                                                                      

which I brush

aside with my shoe:

 

Mother,

it reads,

just

Mother.

 

No date of birth,

no end date,

no first name

nor last name . . .

 

Mother.

 

Enough

said.

 
~

Something Like Living

  

Get home

unload the groceries

take a crap

pour a drink

check on the kids

kiss a spouse

answer a phone.

 

Prep dinner

eat dinner

masturbate.

 

Pay a bill.

 

Sell a car

buy a newspaper.

 

Watch The Bachelor.

 

Bury a hamster.

 

Trash

cash

mash.

 

Flail

wail

junk

mail.

 

Attend a wedding.

 

Book a plot.

~

Edward Anki’s poetry has appeared in The Feathertale Review, (parenthetical), Qwerty, The Chaffin Journal,and others. A chapbook of his poetry, Remote Life, was published by BareBackPress.