excuse to drink coffee
Clouds gray
moving east
almost saturated.
A few drops
touch head
shoulders
page of book
flip book closed
look into gray clouds
waiting for another
Grab a cup
hour old coffee
still hot.
Go inside
with dim lights
classical music
and a worn chair
to finish reading.
Guess Friday’s almost gone
lost in a book
and several pots of coffee.
getting lost in a mess
Just sat waiting
air still
Facing walls
covered in quiet
dim lamp
enough light
to read with.
Hawks
circling beyond
cobwebbed windows
dusty from winter.
Glance for shadow
of hawk
passing by
waited to long.
Grunt at mess
that’s grown large
and partly hidden
under through
stacks of tilting books.
Old messages
on answering machine
listen then ignored
later after dinner
or right before bed
they’ll be erased.
Still and quiet
afternoon
only a few cars
traveling home.
Going through a pot of coffee
Giving a little
for a moment of quiet
disrupted
again
by trucks
hurrying
to quarries
of lime.
Got another piece
searching in litter
of drunk drivers
tossing half eaten
burgers out windows.
Listening to quiet
between vehicles
charging through
American river canyon.
Having a drink
of coffee
looking at steam rise
enjoy bitter taste
and scent from cup
thick with sediment.
that smell 1
Dead mouse
behind bookcase
wish I could forget
that cool spot
Damp sitting in front old fan
feeling a little cooler
not just sweating away.
Gets to point where it’s to hot
and only pleasure
pour water overhead
wetting greasy hair
soaking you from follicles to toes.
It’s only June not looking forward
to July and August
when even the wind blows hot
all you want
is to sit
in front of a fan.
David is a part time programmer and lives in the American River Canyon outside of Auburn Ca. He has done landscaping sign painting cooking and made jewelry to pay the bills. He and his wife live with two bossy cats. He has three adult daughters and seven grandchildren. His hobbies include type design, soapstone carving, walks in the woods, collecting dragons, and a growing library of Science Fiction.
Cover Photo: Sharon Hinhcliff (https://www.flickr.com/photos/delartful/)