11-21-15
That's the combination
of my lock at the YMCA.
All three of my kids worked here.
Twin daughters—Y life guards,
swim teachers. I've had the same
lock for 25 years. Lost it once.
Found it later. Couldn't remember
the combination. It was in there,
though, where memories keep.
It came back while swimming.
Swimming with my kids.
Remembering combinations.
I swim now for new cells.
And new cell memory.
Jim Bodeen
13 October 2010
HARVESTING GRAPES
WITH KATE AND DEE
Dark Pinots for jelly hide
under great green leaves I prune
back for the girls. Kate's buckled
with my belt and holstered cutters,
belt wound twice around her waist.
Dee has three fingers in one cotton
glove finger, walking railroad ties
in exclamatory repetition:
There's one, Papa!
Here's another. There's more, grapes!
Grandpa time. Both girls
drawn to raised rose beds
digging for worms and insects.
Mother and grandma in the kitchen.
Working joy for children.
Here's another one, Papa.
A grasshopper! No way to tell anyone
about dog poop buried in the roses.
Keep your fingers out of your mouths.
Don't eat any more grapes.
When you go inside,
Wash those hands with soap.
Jim Bodeen
13 October 2010
WHAT WATER TOLD ME TUESDAY
Nothing perfect about this life
except this life. We go
the distance we're given.
Rest is part of the work.
Jim Bodeen
12 October 2010
‧
Of course we're children
We couldn't do this another wayThat's the combination
of my lock at the YMCA.
All three of my kids worked here.
Twin daughters—Y life guards,
swim teachers. I've had the same
lock for 25 years. Lost it once.
Found it later. Couldn't remember
the combination. It was in there,
though, where memories keep.
It came back while swimming.
Swimming with my kids.
Remembering combinations.
I swim now for new cells.
And new cell memory.
Jim Bodeen
13 October 2010
HARVESTING GRAPES
WITH KATE AND DEE
Dark Pinots for jelly hide
under great green leaves I prune
back for the girls. Kate's buckled
with my belt and holstered cutters,
belt wound twice around her waist.
Dee has three fingers in one cotton
glove finger, walking railroad ties
in exclamatory repetition:
There's one, Papa!
Here's another. There's more, grapes!
Grandpa time. Both girls
drawn to raised rose beds
digging for worms and insects.
Mother and grandma in the kitchen.
Working joy for children.
Here's another one, Papa.
A grasshopper! No way to tell anyone
about dog poop buried in the roses.
Keep your fingers out of your mouths.
Don't eat any more grapes.
When you go inside,
Wash those hands with soap.
Jim Bodeen
13 October 2010
WHAT WATER TOLD ME TUESDAY
Nothing perfect about this life
except this life. We go
the distance we're given.
Rest is part of the work.
Jim Bodeen
12 October 2010
‧
Of course we're children
Taxi, Taxes, Task us
Jim Bodeen
12 October 2010
RECLAIMING THE IMAGINATION
Walking 15th Ave with grandkids
Five and three, pulling red wagon
remembering childhood—
theirs, not mine—
a kind of conquest
not for punishment or exile
Roll down hill of grass
Mount this horse of old tires
Gold fish dead and gone
Walk around this block
with Josh at 2, Sammie
holding wagon's handle
Outgrown toys, whistles
still calling for adventure
which way to go
De-fused words inspire
Sun-rust October roses
altar-time de-fused
Jim Bodeen
11 October 2010
INSIDE THE GOBI
Walking with poets
Wild ponies, talking, grazing
Counting syllables
What I've won
also a response
What I've been given
Losing as part
of daily practice
10, 10, 10
Walking crop trail
Sweet gums line Naches Ave
Poor children's police
Not a bad thing
living without the charged word
Walk what is strange
Jim Bodeen
10. 10. 10
ONE SATURDAY MORNING
In the seventh year the word
disappeared. The way,
which had been a harvest
for the listening ear,
quit speaking to him.
He was not ready to go inside.
He planted two sweet gum trees.
Jim Bodeen
9 October 2010
‧
Posts
the sweet gum tree has many stories. kjm
ReplyDeletejb, the image of the wagon, wonderful because of course it's there-- pulling/being pulled and so much the image for what we carry, not to get tim o'brien on ya, but a vehicle with neighborhoods and trees and cracks that will break our mother's backs.
ReplyDeletekjm