Just Plumb Hollow

bile 'em cabbage down set us off
pleasing jangle of strings strummed
gathered around living room
siblings and cousins joining for
prairie bluegrass party

spilled wine made it official
laughter ringing above
cripple creek and fox on the run
and fiddle flew through devil's dream
banjo fingered jed clampett

voices rang harmony on choruses
traded solos on verses

stories told between songs
playing until fingers hurt and voices raw
and we played the last polka

cowboy hats and vests coloured
young heads and hearts
lively living loving life
toes tapping to the rhythm of
exalted existence

summer family dinner

table a T
chairs crowded around
food finds plates

oma is eighty-nine
baby is one

song heartily sung
while baby smiles and points

wine carefully poured
burgundy splashing glass

conversations tumble air
happy cacophony

laughter shakes cottage
comfortable familiarity

glasses raised to celebrate
commitment of couple

scattered family converges
around a table of love

Jonathan at the cottage

a small finger on a small hand at the end

of a small outstretched arm

pointing

at ducks in the lake
at splashing water
at smiling grandmother
at Cassie the dog
at whatever catches the eye of
blonde

blue-eyed

wonder-filled

wonderful

one year old

and we follow his lead as he

points out the way

Lin and Bob

like Baucus and Philemon

sitting together

lace table cloth at elbows

he

blue short sleeves

eyes engaged

framed by open doorway

she

face looking up

in quick smile

kitchen gleams background

abundant food adorns table

as happy conversation fills in spaces

like the bowl of fruit between them

this welcome is what they do

Britten

meet outside city in park

black curls combed back

dark wool sweater over shirt

you shake hands     firm grip

he pulls you towards him

in embrace and the walk begins

soon you are off the path

wandering English country-side

neat hills and meadows

he goes wherever he wants

over fences

through fields

he talks of the peace he feels in this place

peace is

playfulness in the heart

he says smiling

                darkness behind the eyes

and you feel the dark warm hug of curly wool

butterfly

powerful

muscular shoulders

turbo through blue water

to reach wall first fingers

touching sensitive panel

before clenching into

raised fist of

victory

fringe fest moment

woman stage alone

acting her mother’s story

dark tress beside tear