The Male Visitor

Walking around here


in this big house


Caterpillar in a boys jar


rolling from room to room.





Everyone's gone by eight;


Jane caught a ride to town


and work with neighbors.


The bus took them at the gate.





A line of cars behind,


It's red lights safety flashing,


they dash 'aross the highway


I'm left standing by our door.





At half past seven with cereal bowls,


f resh clothes, bag sandwiches.


Quite a scurry happening


a frenzied drift toward outside shoals.





It's the contrast I think


that startles you.


All that clatter, and then,


only the simmer of soup.





Kind of bound to make you


reflect; deliberating.....


nice really, you linger,


knowing to-be-done's are waiting.





Hanging suspended by that


step in between,


A nice place to visit


until calling's transgress, intervene.





Geoff Fernald