The Link Between Us

There is a theory from mankind that multiple universes exist;

that with every thought we make,

we create entire worlds;

that we have lived every life in existence.

Oh, what a comfort this is.

To know that I have created entire universes revolving around you;

that I have embraced you a million times,

laughed at all your jokes,

touched you gently, over, and over.

We have danced; we have made love;

I have been you; I have carried you;

I have held you in my womb.

I have had billions of lifetimes to listen to your thoughts.

Oh, what a comfort this is.

An Opa Hat

Every year we fly through the sky to Minneapolis, my parents and I.

We watch the baggage claim belt spin round and round

like the tire of an overturned tank.

I wait for our black bag to win the wrestling matches

of the bags as they come off the ramp and hit a stranger’s case.

Opa, my father’s father,

appears through the magic doors.

On his head is an Opa hat.

It is brown and corduroy,

like the bear with the overalls in the children’s book.

Others might call it a newsboy cap.

Opa, tall as a skyscraper to me, picks me up into a hug.

It’s always reminded me of a bear, his hugs.

The air fills with the scent of his cologne,

strong and comforting.

When all the breath has left me,

he places me on the ground

as we take our place with him for the next week.

In the back,

our bag enters the ring.

It smashes into some granny’s purple flowered suitcase.

The audience sighs

as it is dragged off the ring

and to its pit crew.

I sit on it to make sure

it knows the true winner.

The security guards must think

we are pirates as we enter the concrete maze.

We are lost, saying argh every this way and that,

as we try to find our “stolen” gold.

With the help of the parrot in Opa’s key,

we find our pot of gold. Opening its four doors,

we head off with our wrestling champion.

I wonder if we can lose the car

at the airport in Wilmington,

where my Opa will give me another bear hug

before graduation.

Atlas

Early one fall morning

when no one was looking

I launched my own satellite

right out of the backyard

watched it go straight up- felt the big boom as it broke free and arced westward- on its way

watched until it was a little star, moving fast- stable orbit

the kids down the street waiting on the bus loved it- wanted me to do it again

I yelled back it was a oner and to have a good day at school

now don’t be jealous

you can borrow my satellite anytime

I barely use it

hell- nobody's paying attention- launch your own

and like I said, feel free to use mine

but I’m telling you- you can see some shit from way up there…

actually- I was grilling chicken

but it was seven thirty on a beautiful morning

and the great thing about a grill fire

other than hot grilled food

is you can’t leave it

so I was indulging in my surroundings

and it’s just fun to imagine life at Cape Canaveral.