balance

the body 

starts with no strikes

against it, and then one day it reminds

you of that time when you were 22,

playing coed volleyball in a dimly lit gym in Seattle

and you jumped up to block a spike 

and came down on the spiker's foot under the net 

and your right ankle rolled --

and then snapped.

She scored the point; you scored 

a ride to the emergency room.

Now, at nearly 60, you're just about ready to down dog

on your lavender yoga mat 

and it's there again, that right ankle.

That -- and the left hip replaced by titanium

and the right breast absent some flesh

and the left elbow ripped by a riptide

and the arthritis in the thumb.

You try to be grateful 

that it's in your left --

because otherwise

you might not be writing this poem.

They say

the body 

keeps the score --

at this point, I'm just hoping for a tie

between left and right.

he doesn't listen

 My 18-year-old son

Left to go camping

Without even saying goodbye

Perhaps because

I kept bugging him about chairs

And sleeping pads

And food

And he was a little bit late

And a little bit anxious

He doesn’t listen

Which feels like rejection

Even though it isn’t

I have too much stuff already

You’re going CAR CAMPING —

You can take whatever you want

He takes the sleeping pad 

But leaves the chairs

And carries a white plastic bag with 8 Cokes

even though I told him

Where the cooler was

Later (about the time I figure 

he is meeting up with his friends) 

I text:

Sorry, I was just trying to help.  Hope you have a  

great time!!!! (tent emoji; canoe emoji)

We have so much shit that I’m taking your car

We have a grill and steaks and shit

Haha!  So you’re taking two cars?

Yes

I want to reply one more time

and say

I told you so

But I don’t

Lord Help Us *

Every- 

thing

and

Every- 

body

Lies

Except maybe our garbage –

So much stuff to stop our scents, tubes to 

whiten and brighten but not 

save and protect, bottles as

evidence of how many ways there are to die, tubs of Trader Joe’s – 

dips we could easily make ourselves 

But don’t. 

Every trashed container containing

maybe a couple more days worth which – if 

added up -- would be enough to 

last us many years

*Not sure if it’s a petition or a confession, but I know it’s a prayer