Friday, Nov. 8th

(didn’t go to open mike-for what)

Dear Jersey,

  I had to splurge and get a studio photographer for Zero's senior pics. I just couldn't ask you to come over here to do it, I know you are broke, busy, and asking you to do it is like asking me to make a crap flyer. You would want to do a great job, but would hate it. Soooooo, I shelled out.

  I was always in the "not pictured" section of the year book. My dad wouldn't pay for class photos. He said that he knew what I looked like. I just couldn't do that to Z..

  Out here you have about three ways to do it if you are a male senior:

You have the something under a tree scenario. Dappled shade, maybe sitting on a low lying limb, resting chin contemplatively on knuckle, or resting boot heel on trunk,  chin to chest, cowboy hat brim shading face. That's the tree. Autumn tree. Even though the year book comes out in late spring. Then there is the classic car. Here, naturally, it's a 50’s era suped up cherry pick up. The pose for this is always arms crossed, beefing out the bi's, leaning back on the driver's side door, confident/borderline smug half grin/smirk (devilish/devil may care), the legs are crossed at the ankles. The attire for this one and the aforementioned is a button down cotton shirt (western in style most commonly) and faded Levi's, although if conservative, Wrangler's. Finally, and this one is what I went for (it is just a coincidence that it happens to be non-gender specific), there is the wheat field scene. Amber light-that light so specific to this time of year. Usually at sunset, though this effect was artificial (the shoot was mid-imagine-oh, never mind). If the senior is a female, she billows, maybe runs fingers over wheat tops walking. The young men sit with knees up gazing toward destinies foretold by commencement speakers.

  So, Zero, too, sat.

  I thought the artiste captured his esprit marvelously.

  I hope you are not offended that I did not ask you. But I think this person did a remarkable job, even for this small town, even for a studio photographer. For Zero.

  I hope it prints well.

  I included a magnet that you can use as clip for chip bags.

XO

Hope the stewarding isn't giving you veiny ankles.

in-autumn

storm clouds flock

muster above town

slate upon ash

we stand together

under leaves spading

across main he

stands nose wavering

cagily red hair wet-matted

after the clap presupposed the

shower which unleashed him

calling cajoling he swaggers to

carol’s then on by rick’s

where officer merry dutifully

glides to circumspect

at the four pumps station

citizen way home

i wave as we do

looking up

there is this

dust bowl

refugee

hair-lip-boy

tightly collaring

treat cash

held close-fisted

rapt tightly into his

shopworn-cadaverously

livid blue t

his vacuous chest

   hey

i say

as he

slinks charily by

hey

he snarls

or smiles

click

i lock my