Arts Listings
Four Poems
ALL IN MY HEAD
(An “encounter” on the corner of Allston & Harold Way, Berkeley)
She said:
You know—
it may be all in your head
She spoke this
not directly at me
but into her cell phone
though I couldn’t help
but recognize
as she walked on by
how right she was
no matter who
she was talking to
and while appearing
not to be, no doubt
that message was for me
I heard it loud and clear
like the most recent thoughts
all in my head
SECOND SISTER
At the Berkeley Farmers’ Market
I choose a few
fresh zucchini, yellow squash.
The woman takes
and weighs my bag.
Receiving my money, she says
“You look like my
brother—
He lives in Atlanta
but his presence is here
standing before me.”
She doesn’t look like
the one sister I have
but her warm face is
familiar.
If I had a second sister
it could be she.
She thanks me.
I thank her in return
and walk away,
heading home to Georgia
where I’ve never been.
NOTHING’S LOST
Since I have nothing to worry about
I do worry about nothing
I have nothing to lose
and sure enough
nothing does come up missing
time and time again
Every time nothing's lost
I have nothing to find
and that means another wasted day
looking around the house—
under sofa cushions,
piles of papers and mail—
searching for nothing.
Then I realize that I’ve left a window open,
so I put my shoes on, go outside
and start hollering for nothing:
Nothing, Nothing!!!
Can you understand
the predicament I’m in?
I should never have let myself
get so attached to nothing.
WITH ANY LUCK
As I’m passing by corner market,
heading two doors down to laundromat,
heaving loads of my dirty clothes,
the owner bellows through doorway:
“14 million!” I stop in my tracks.
He points up toward Super Lotto sign—
knows I’ve played before.
In a timeless moment I imagine
everything around his pointed direction
begin to disappear, one by one:
the Lotto banner, stacks of newspapers
and copies of TV Guide’s latest edition,
wilting lettuce in his meager produce section,
Twinkies and Ding Dongs
gone
until whole store fades out
as does rest of his body,
leaving only a finger’s
illuminated trajectory
guiding my vision into night sky numbers
far beyond millions.
Way out there my mind speeds
through billions and billions of stars and galaxies,
reaching other side of
infinite universe.
Back on Earth, I tell him
I’ll likely buy a ticket next week—
there’s decent chance the jackpot
will be over 20 million by then.
Right now I have just enough in my pockets
for the washers and dryers.
I want to get these loads done as quickly as
possible—
counting on some free time at end of the evening.
With any luck,
I’ll leave with everything I came in with—
clothes now clean, folded
and not having lost a single sock.