Author: Tamiko Lowery

Parking Lot

they took

the track

where the

old guy

in the tan sedan

got out

and walked

his quota

they took

the track

where the

heavy-set crew

adjusted their pace

to the breath

it takes to talk

on the phone

they took

the track

where the

teenagers

run their race

and fly over

orange cones

they took

the track

where the off-duty

let off steam

patrol pounds

they took

the track

where the children

were at

the ones who

skipped ahead

and left a laugh

a hoot, a holler

they took

the track

where the sun

would rise

and set

where the rain

would drip

and drizzle

where the wind

would whip

chap the lip

where the puffs

were cubes

and the surface

fried an egg

they took

the track

where all those soles

came and went

they took

the track

dug it up

and dumped it out

in piles

turned the oval

square

so they could

park there

they took

the track

and replaced it

with that

and the old guy

the talkers

the teens

the off-duty

the kids

the jogger

we ain’t been back

‘cause they took

the track

thanks a

lot

TL

The Ace

but i remember it

from when i was

how it made me feel

light as air

y o u t h

it really is

a card

and you’re all in

win or lose

who cares

the chances are

and you take ‘em

then you start

to read

the directions

scared to make a move

you count the pieces

how can you play without the pieces

and what about the dice

it’s missing a dot

you can’t count it

if it’s missing

a dot

it all has to match up

make sense

start here – end there

game over – play again

that’s the rule

after awhile

after all

the winning

the losing

the folding

the ties

you just don’t wanna

play no more

so you burn the board

chunk all the pieces

drop the deck

rip the score

spin the seat

but the Ace

you keep

be it a spade

a diamond

puppy foot

or heart

the Ace

you keep

in the pocket

case you need it

and chances are

you’re gonna need it

TL

Asleep

trespass

of a tear

trails back

to ancient times

that first brick

a stack of stones

did you wake

with want

a ray instead

what does that do

over time

ask the house of snow

maybe he knows

or did

before he melted

into tin

the ringing rain

that fell

into the cracks

of clay

and deep

they were

those cracks

in clay

too deep

to fill

with merely drops

a sheet or shower

one window

one box

the door

stayed locked

did anybody ever

knock

or find the key

somewhere

and did it fit

the lock

maybe not

just use

a bobby pin

or a tribe of Indians

or a crowbar

or one of those

sticks that blow up

maybe not

maybe it doesn’t

take a whole lot

just a little

like a scrap

you fold just once

just enough

to say

and push it

under her door

and walk away

and maybe someday

she’ll get up

and go to the door

and open it

and find you

still there

asleep

TL

Things

been buying

bins

for all

those things

sentimental such

the gonna-get-to-rush

the had-to-have-but-didn’t

after all

the feeling-bad-so-bought-it

cha-ching

the gifts they gave and kept on giving

where to put

the useless things

that don’t bring you

anything

but dust

the why-am-i-holding-on

to this …

stuff

been buying

bins

for all

those things

TL

Command

and Tiger’s

not playing

the Masters

what next

still

there he is

down

for sure

surely

not done

many Masters

to come

days in the sun

lives he’s lived

lost

gazing out

peering in

it’s there

in the lift

in the fall

heel to toe

way he walks

the green

up that hill

down that slope

like a lion

in the wind

contained

now at hand

this seat

to sit

high up

in the stands

like an old man

who never knew

he was old

‘til somebody

told him so

grit and grip

take it in

what the dark

demands

the valley

not the peak

where we find

ourselves

again

back to square

uncluttered there

the mind moves

within the body

and returns

the heart

to its soul

TL

Lord

the daffodils

have pushed through

why can’t i

the yellow butterfly

finds a way

why can’t i

the old guy

with his bags

in each hand

goes home

why can’t i

the weary woman

in the cathedral

has no food

 but lights the wick

why can’t i

the man

with bullets

buried in his back

forgives

his friend

why can’t i

the little boy

without a mother

without a father

still takes his jar

out at night

and finds the light

why can’t i

the baby born

without a stitch

a kiss

or wish

reaches out

why can’t i

all those men

women and children

who lost somebody

that awful day

still walk the wheat

even in rain

why can’t i

the farmer

in his field

of empty rows

still carries seed

why can’t i

the women

who put their

mirrors down

don’t dwell

why can’t i

the daughter

who lost

her father

in the wind

long ago

has stopped

why can’t i

TL

The Gift

in his down

time

when he

wasn’t under

the hood

or over the dash

of his not-long-bought

jeep

the antique one, the model, that turned his head

the one he gave up his blue boat for

determined to restore

like any good mechanic

he knows her body well

her inner-workings sublime to his practical mind

he can get lost for days

in there

but now and again

above his brew

through the windshield

he’d catch a glimmer

a streak

and catlike he’d move himself

into position

still as steel

ready to take him out

that damn squirrel

had to die

all the damage done

the detonation of insulation

the gnawing, the gloating

something had to be done

so he’d grab his bb gun

and fire a few

and wait it out

and this went on

for months

would have

months more

if he hadn’t

had a hankering

to drive him out

with the hose

he blasted the water

through the gutter

who knows how long

when he heard

something cry

and reached in

the river

and felt around

until his hand

met something

small and wet

soaked and spent

and barely breathing

he climbed down the ladder

and had the strangest look

what to do

so he took a towel

and dried the ball

and dragged out an aquarium

and found half a bag of shavings

and dumped it in

and for some reason

he figured on plastic gloves

and started filling them with hot water

and soon as he laid ‘em down

that baby squirrel

knew his mama

and slept

for hours

and woke up

hungry for a bottle

these days

he can’t get enough walnuts

or the love of a child

who gave him a name

and all her toys

and when she runs from

room to room

he follows her about

like a “little lamb”

bounding across fields of carpet and tile

he climbs her leg

his only tree

and scampers up and down the trunk

‘til he tires

and wants his bottle

and the man

with the gun

watches the child

put the baby to bed

and he can’t help

but smile

and shake his head

TL

Well-Worn

when the words

run out

and the silence

sets in

and you feel

you’ve felt

what it is

to be born

and live like that

and take your lot

the sum of it

the plus

the minus

and make it what

the shell of a living thing

that crawled along

the same path

where seeds were sown

and flowers grew

and the butterflies appeared

like they disappeared

and the rain

fell short

of the root

the sun severed

from the moon

a blue sky

were it always

blue

like a blessing

or were it always

gray

like a stone

or were it ever was

a bed

of black velvet

that held

a diamond

new

TL

Fleeting

the shadow

of a bird

against red brick

like a line

cast out

to sea

the hook flew

across the surface

and sunk somewhere

beyond the bareness

of you … of me

TL

Two Wheels

with a wink

and a wrench

he took off

each training wheel

and tossed ‘em

to the ground

and she looked down

at the pink plastic wheels

then back to the bike

then up to him

and Papa smiled and told her

“There’s nothing to it …

don’t look down at the bike,

look straight ahead”

he said it might take her

five days or five minutes

all depends

seemed a second

as I stood there

in the melting snow

and watched her

wheel away

further and further

I saw her

smaller and smaller

in the distance

crawling across the floor

when suddenly she stood up

and took a step

and started walking …

“Mama, can you believe

I can ride a bike now!”

TL

 

Drop-off Line

maybe 3

looked to be

had her bag

ready for school

happy in her pink coat

with big buttons

but in the rush

to get to class

on time

Rudolph fell

out of her bag

thump

hit the cement cold

‘course she cried

and cried some more

her daddy tried

but she was much too deep

in tears to tell him

that Rudolph

“Rudolph with his bright red nose”

was real to her

and when he fell

to the ground

tumbling down

he got hurt

and hit his head

his nose bled

and she

felt it

TL

Come On

before they

put the pumpkins out

carved the mouth

before they

thawed the bird

stuffed

and bathed in butter

before they

unwrapped the lights

found the short

before they

wrapped your slippers

another zip-up robe

before Christmas

took to the streets

pa rum pum pum pum

before the ball

could drop

in New York City

Happy New Year!

before the big game

in Alabama

wow

before spring

could change

to summer

and back again

smell the gardenias

the fresh cut grass

ripe tomato

here you go

come on

open your eyes

didn’t you hear

the Doc …

different dose

this time

come on

you can do it

didn’t you sleep

good

last night

didn’t you see

the sun

rise in your room

didn’t you feel

Papa break

where’s the fight

one more round

you got one more round

left to go

come on

here’s your glove

put it on

come on

don’t just lie there

wake up

don’t let ‘em see ‘ya like that

don’t go out …

like that

cuss ‘em good

knock ‘em out

come on

there’s an opening

take it !

why won’t you take it !

come ooooooooooooooooooon

Graaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanny

GET UP !

TL

Merry-Go-Round

when we w-h-i-r-l

round-and-round-and-round

the room

spinning-faster-and-faster-and-faster

gripping-hands-tighter-and-tighter-and-tighter

the kitchen dissolves

into particles

and our laughter

pours out

and fills my cup

and all I see

is you

that beautiful face

all aglow

and the clocks

a-r-o-u-n-d the world

have a glitch

and there is no day, no night

no growing up

or old

you’re my little girl …

and I’m your mommy …

don’t let go

TL

Philippines

the hum

of the heater

ice

in the freezer

water in the faucet

whirl of the washer

the stove, the microwave, the frig

iphones, Internet, ipads

blankets on the bed

clothes hanging on hangers

soap in the showers

a clean cup and saucer

too many spoons

rooms with windows

bulbs and candles and button lights

mirrors on the wall

family photos

stacks of books

everything in reach

in order

no destruction

no despair

nothing to repair

the trees

are all standing

outside my door

leaves the only mess

milk, eggs and bread

at any hour

the hospital is open

pharmacies ready to fill

schools in session

restaurants with no wait

Christmas is in the air

turkeys in freezers

socks and shoes

cash, coin, debit

airports

banks

gas stations

newspapers

magazines

snack machines

and it’s colder

today

than yesterday

so I put on

a coat

TL

One of Opelika’s Finest

just

read your name

and blinked

‘cause it couldn’t be …

not Jerry Teel

didn’t we

just shake hands

and share a laugh

at that chamber thing

62 …

you had so much more …

left to do

and had I known then

that I’d never see you again

that I would miss your funeral

all of it

I would have

held your hand longer

and told you

how I never forgot

your patience and kindness

those late night calls after council

how you’d understand

all the questions

knew the deadline

and how tight the page

how you’d cut the fat

and sum it up

so it’d make sense somehow

how you always took the call

even when it was hard

to take it

and when I’d see ‘ya

on the street

you’d meet me

with a smile

something nice

to say

and ask me about

my kid

yeah, I remember that

you were a husband and a father

so you knew …

what mattered

TL

Papa T and Granny E

a tree fell

on his truck

and he didn’t

replace it

instead

he drives her car

but she don’t mind

at all

he’d ease himself

in it

and go to see her

taking baby steps

he’d make it

from the parking lot

to the door

down the hall

his third leg

a cane

and she’d be waiting

for him

he’d sit in the corner

and watch

her sleep

and wake up

watch her being fed

and changed

and take her medicine

and get her blood pressure

if he thought

she needed something

he’d get up

and make his way

back down the hall

and get somebody

and turn around

and head back

down the hall

and when she’d cry out

in agony

he’d say, “It’s all right Mama,

it’ll be all right …”

she was his wife, not his mother

but he always called her, Mama

‘cause that’s what the kids called her

just to hear his voice

the sound the same

would soothe her

somehow

but as the days

drew on

he could not

reach her

no more

still he tried

Sunday morning

she was gone

but he’s still

sitting there

in the corner

waiting for her

to come back

to him

TL

Meander

salmon swimming

upstream

what was a web

the tree that fell

a line of ants poisoning their queen

a dog without

a death that didn’t

a forgotten face

what was

what isn’t

the penny

the poet

the bulb

the bottle

melted snow

getting old

far away

but one life

yours

mine

theirs

TL

33

he’s standing

in the doorway

a coal miner’s son

and he’s talking about

this great big sack of potatoes

something he remembered

a moment …

his dad was there

he was there

an observer even then

he watched him carry that sack

through the door

and as children do

he followed him about

but the mines were

not for children

and the boy standing

in the doorway

was left

to wonder

if the mines were

not for men

not for a man

who could have been

with the wind

horizon high

chasing the sun

not underground

deep down

pick and shovel

who could have flown

through the clouds

not waded

through the smoke

who could have

come home

that day

and lived to see

his boy

a man

but such is life

no one knows

the bend

none but Him

TL

Wish

it rained

some

yesterday

not much

maybe a cup

or two

guess it was

the poem

or the hour

or the ache

TL

Turtles

can’t count

how many …

nor count

how many …

that timing

took

that timing

gave

shells broken

shells unbroken

down the street

and timing was

what timing is

just yesterday

when there you were

your shell unbroken

and there was I

but you’re young yet

so off to the glade you go

find some water

some damp dirt

a place to sleep

to wake up

and keep to the trail

outta the street

TL