An old dog of a man squats low,
wears a utility shirt stamped USMC
with holes where a rank had been sewn.
He is under the eaves, watching
white hail miss his coffee mug.
You have seen chameleons,
how they blend with no effort, inherit the brown
ground, the green leaf - become part of the wallpaper, so to speak.
Such is the case with him, but reversed: bricks at his back
go drab green from worn red;
sidewalks take on his gray shadow,
and it is only the steam
rising in one long curve from his unchipped cup
that bequeathes a sense of true freedom. Benign sentry,
he guards the alleys of difficult times,
face stubble warming his cheeks like a thin coat,
chains of duty broken, unlatched, cold.
[after Ted Kooser's "A Rainy Morning", Delights & Shadows]
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Comments: 21
i was wondering about the "one long curve" of steam that I pictured in my mind's eye as I wrote this; that image seems false to me now, cartoonish, or illustrated -- know what I mean? does it bother anyone else? i'm thinking it should perhaps be edited down to just "steam / rising from his unchipped cup" or "steam / rising in long curves" (eliminating the 'one'). On the other hand, I like the sound and pace of "one long curve" -- -- -- [I look for and welcome criticism; it's how i get better -- thanks.]
Thank you susan and sarah -- glad you gave it a read and left me your thoughts.
"he guards the alleys of difficult times," - wonderful image!
I'm a huge Kooser fan!
Sorry, but I don't have any advise to give you on this one as I'm still hashing it over in my mind and relishing the feel of it.
I enjoyed it.
how they blend with no effort, inherit the brown ground, the green leaf . Wonderful.
Thanks for comments.