wolves

 I think I know now 

The answer - at least in part:

I have not wanted it to be true 

I have wanted who I thought I knew

To be the real you. 

~~ 

Wanting a true friend

One who stays, 

Sells everything to buy the field 

Doesn't just walk away 

~~

There have been so many wolves in this house 

Grandma, what big mistakes I've made.

AT YOUR SERVICE: At My Service

AT MY SERVICE

At my service
what will be true 
of my service ? 

AT YOUR SERVICE: Daddy

DADDY

He gave me his vocabulary 
Verbatim
To believe in life’s possibilities 
And dare to trust
That God is good.

Taught me to seek Wisdom 

AT YOUR SERVICE: Momma

MOMMA

She knows the recipe
Has the address
Remembers the time of my birth 

And she always

Always

Always

Believes that I have worth.

AT YOUR SERVICE: Apple Red Happiness (A True Story)

APPLE RED HAPPINESS  (A True Story) 

She left their Christmas dinner 
To see a man in bed

In her pocket was an apple 
Crisp and Christmas red

“I miss the crunch of apples”

the quadriplegic said 

So she brought him joy and peeled it 
And saw that he was fed 

 

AT YOUR SERVICE: Family

FAMILY

In looking back
I hope you’ll find

Even those 

who failed you miserably 

Were doing the best they could
At that time

AT YOUR SERVICE: Housekeeping

HOUSEKEEPING

With mop or broom 
Cleaning our room 
Bent by the work
of workdays
I see (and very much appreciate) 

You

AT YOUR SERVICE: Pain

PAIN

For high contrast
And hidden springs of strength 
Unearthed

For showing me what real love is 
And isn't 
Pain, you’re of great worth 

AT YOUR SERVICE: Ride Share Rescue

RIDE SHARE RESCUE

I am watching for the silver Jetta
one minute, eight seconds away...
~
Kicking snow from my boots, to the driver
“Downtown, please - Hilton Garden Inn" 

~
At least for tonight, I am rescued
from rage and his next DUI
~

AT YOUR SERVICE: Teachers

TEACHERS

I followed my teacher
And last night’s assignment 
Into the quiet hall

Braced for shame
I found instead
My dignity in tact 

She didn't laugh

Her voice was kind

She let me try again 

 

AT YOUR SERVICE: Collectibles

COLLECTIBLES

There was a week
Last year in May
When inclement weather fell 
On gov'ment holiday

Trash bins in town 

Uncollected for days 
  ... and days 
       ... and days

And days. 

We will never 
Take our collectors for granted 

Again. 

AT YOUR SERVICE: My Country Tis Of Thee

MY COUNTRY TIS OF THEE

For twenty some odd years now
Since they were very young 
My children spot the uniforms
Extend their hand and say:

“Thank you for serving our country”

AT YOUR SERVICE: Customer Services

 CUSTOMER SERVICES

My parents remember full service gas 
Fuel pumped by an attendant

I grew up 

in a cashier land o'plenty 

What if 
Eventually 

We do for ourselves 
Every job taken for granted?

AT YOUR SERVICE: Service Industry

SERVICE INDUSTRY

The service field is sown with seeds of industry.

Serve us industry 

In the
Service Infantry 

Of the
Service Industry 

To serve is to see 

Serve is Ministry

AT YOUR SERVICE: New Tires

NEW TIRES

Tire repair:

Needed

Car warranty: 

Exceeded

Good coffee:

Well-Heated

In the Lobby
I’m seated

You fix and finance everything

I return home 

Less defeated

AT YOUR SERVICE: Tow Truck Tag Along

TOW TRUCK TAG ALONG

This week, two flat tires
Both 

passenger side
I am going nowhere, fast 

This. Week. 

Hours in wait at Circle K 

Before my help arrives

I do not ...

... will not 

    ... cannot 

complain 

Even if I had my own tow truck

I wouldn’t know how to use it.

From the cab

I wave goodbye 

to new filling station friends

and promptly ask 

to hear 

my driver's entire life story. 

AT YOUR SERVICE: Roadside

ROADSIDE

The young man is polite

No older than my son

He is fixing the first of two flats in my week

No umbrella

No complaint

He will not accept a tip

AT YOUR SERVICE: MidNight McService (No Sugar)

MidNight McSERVICE (No Sugar)

The closing crew, hours ahead of schedule 
Have started cleaning up
Too soon

We stragglers still need coffee 
And fries
We know not to ask for ice cream

“Medium Americano, please”
“And a large unsweet tea”
“extra ice if you don’t mind...no sugar”
I re-emphasize

This far South,

‘Sweet’ is all that translates

and syrup is always pre-supposed

The first sip of tea is crisp
and cold, my coffee delivered hot, without excuses.
I am deeply grateful

Behind me, a bag gulps to life
in the hands of a young man taking out the trash 

Everyone here just wants to go home

I cram the receipt and straw paper into my pocket
instead of the yawning can

Stepping into the night, convinced this small act will translate:
“Thank you, have a good night
Godspeed you home”

AT YOUR SERVICE: Circle K

CIRCLE K

‘Twenty on pump five...’
‘...and all this...’ 

I say

Spreading a buffet of caffeinated ambition
and bad nutrition
In array

:: grinning embarrassment ::

“ ...and I’d just like to thank you for both my breakfast
and lunch today.”

Her genuine smile covers my shame

‘This will get you through’ she says
‘that’s all anybody is ever tryin’ to do. 
Have a good day, now’

I went out and did just that 
Understanding somehow, 

Her day would be good now, too.

AT YOUR SERVICE: SIRI-ously

SIRI-ously

“What time is it ?”
I ask again

Without judgement 

From the bed
Where I flung you in haste

You state
I am currently (only) 

Eight minutes late.

(Again)