New Neighborhoods

Up McAndrews
There used to be nothing

Now there is a wide sidewalk
grand entrances planned for
expensive houses
plans that floated
away like the milkweed seed
once the money
everywhere
dried up like a puddle after rain

They must have paid a pretty
penny to a landscape architect
the wide sidewalk
is bordered for three miles
with grasses that wave in the
breeze
pine trees scattered behind
aspen
and stone

lavendar bundles its way along
beneath the church
a going business
in these hard times

I like the field of queen anne's lace
birds and bees
and cat tails
mind their own business
despite the walkers
and traffic

It is always surprising
to see out over the valley
(i live in the flatlands)
its green bundling hills
vineyards
pastures
old farms
new castles
causing me to pretend
I am in Italy
I am in Newport and that in the distance is
the ocean
as I come down the hill
but no
I am home

Coming Home

My mother sits in her chair by the window
she has her knitting
her pills
her board games
her remote control
displayed around her

Cockpit
Mission control

I see the neighbor while I am sweeping
out the garage
he rolls up
It is understood
He watches for her
curtains to come just so
every morning

He checks for her in the window
in her chair

Five days go by without
speaking

I check myself for the same signs
At least I can go out
I make sure that I do
almost to prove it
I talk to the man at Lillie Belle Farms
I talk to the woman at the Creamery
I make myself go up to the pool

I take a book

But I am met by friends

My mother sits at her window