next cab off the rank
late October 2005, Pennington County
walking uphill through white weather
unseasonably warm
I come across a woman who
works out
eschews alcohol
has three lovers
none of whom
knows of the others
hopes to get pregnant
by one of ‘em
is forty something
it’s probably
too late
she’s been there done
that
held down jobs on both sides of the world
one of which
wouldn’t seem likely for such a diminutive
lady
physics professor
crocodile wrangler, country and western
warbler, librarian
for a theosophist in Kensington
a body building legend’s
masseuse
she tells me all this in the space
of a few minutes, you know
how it is, when you meet someone in passing
share microorganisms
admire the view without comment, find
you’re swapping philosophies
histories, I
surreptitiously
take her photo
when her back
is turned
it’s late October 2005, Pennington County
walking downhill through white weather
unreasonably
warm