SPLASH LINE

I’d rather not dwell on the last
day we spent so here’s
the facts.  Saturday afternoon
it was raining, we went to the mall,
3 of us, my daughter,
my partner and me, we ate noodles
and watched the rain,
we saw a movie about love, sex & divorce.

Once home we ate guacamole and chips and salad.
The next morning I played
tennis badly, came home and slept.
That afternoon I struggled
to set up a Christmas
photo of the 3 of us.  I guess
it means family to me.  I guess that’s
why it was hard to do.  I
guess that’s why I was exhausted after
driving her and her friend up
the coast to school, we had a nice
drive, sunset over the bay, dinner at Clementines.

I left her at school, hugged her,
it was dark, the moon was ¾.
Down the deep stretch of Highway 1
where the cars and RVs park
along the rocks
I pulled over and sat shivering
close by the splash line.

2001