This was my "party piece" when I moved in poetry circles, a thing I could more or less quote on demand because of the limerick-y rhyme of it.
For Connie:
that one shoe at the side of the road...
That Which Runs the Night Roads
By morning's light, where high roads cross
beneath the signpost standard,
a relic of fear and wonder lies
again, lost, strayed, abandoned.
The reluctant eye of each passerby
is drawn, they see and shudder
then each as quickly looks away
lest that fate befall the observer.
What sort of creature can this be
that preys on hapless travelers?
What stealth, what swift and silent guile,
what strength, to seize such plunder
and take a man with no outcry,
no blot or stain as evidence,
leave only the mute, sad, single shoe
to prove the traveler's existence?
Where bides the beast by light of day
never glimpsed, nor heard, nor scented?
What otherworld hides it from men's eyes
while it waits for dark, unrepented?
Into what realm is the wayfarer snatched
unawares, in what dark abroad,
with naught but the clothes he stands in
bootless and half-shod?
Timelies all!
Back from grocery shopping, and Mr. S has been put down for a nap. Whether he'll actually sleep is anyone's guess.
I keep failing at Christmas shopping, only finding things for myself.
A college friend of mine ran into Lin-Manuel Miranda someplace in NYC and posted a picture of Lin hugging his kid on Facebook. It is priceless. (tagged #betterthanmeetingsanta)
That is awesome, Beverly!
I keep failing at Christmas shopping, only finding things for myself.
Same. It is not one of my talents at all. What did you find good? The only ideas I have are for my one son. My sisters, brother, other son, and everyone else. No ideas. Need to get on it.
tagged #betterthanmeetingsanta
For real!
I should really be reviewing my bought gifts, but instead I am assuming everything is more or less done, although I need something else for my mother.
PS, confidential to -t: the casserole carrier you got me for her last year (?) might be the best gift ever! She uses it all the time.
I think I have my Christmas shopping done, except for my dad. I only got my shit together because I'm flying out tomorrow to visit my family for the holidays.
tagged #betterthanmeetingsanta
Hearts in my eyes.
I've gotten all my shopping done, but I have to wrap everything and get my mom's gift up and running (and figure out her free connectivity so she won't have to).
My gift to one of the pseudo-nephews turned out to be just a receipt for game store credit rather than a gift card or certificate. I'm thinking of getting one of those fake antique book boxes to put it in with enough added weight to make it seem like a real book, and then act all enthusiastic about buying him a book on 18th century cartography that he can learn mapmaking skills from.
Aw, that makes me happy, Jesse!
