Discussion

The Garden 

Is a crazy place 

Here on the hill

Overlooking 

The ocean 

There is no money for 

A fence 

Or lights -

Don't 

Go there 

At night 

The military guy 

Sleeps in the tool shed

     And has to get up 

     At night 

To scare away 

The tweekers

Those are the folks 

Who wander around 

Downtown 

After dark 

Looking for things 

     To steal 

To support the drug

     Habit

Now in spring

- or winter actually- 

Well, We've had two 

Rain storms -

The native plants have 

Erupted 

In vibrant green 

But 

The mallow lot, 

If you don't pull it out now 

While its small 

It's not coming out 

At all 

Her dog is small -

The cat and it 

Play and chase 

Through the bright 

     Green 

One thing I love 

About this place 

Is -

it makes no sense 

At all !

Million dollar lots 

Downtown! 

The owner, being wealthy,

Bought them 

(Back in the day) 

So her house on the hill

Could have its view 

     Of the ocean 

Word is 

She doesn't intend 

To sell 

Anytime soon 

So I wonder 

If I should plant kale 

Or cabbage 

For the gophers 

We take old chairs 

To sit and look at the ocean 

No one wants to trap or kill 

The varmints 

The cat can only eat 

So many 

What to do 

What to do 

On a gorgeous afternoon

In January 

We discuss . . .

A Van

The garden 

Has

A million dollar view -

     And gophers

She advised getting 

A snake !

     Good idea -

Says I -

A gopher snake. 

But where would one 

Purchase one ? 

She lives in her van 

Hassled by the cops -

They took her liscense -

So now she can't drive -

But 

She still lives 

     In her van 

Waiting for 

Section 8

Which is what they call

Government assistance -

     With housing 

It will be federal, 

     She says, 

So she can move 

     Anywhere 

And she doesn't feel guilty,

     She says 

For taking taxpayer money 

     She's had eight children -

One's a doctor 

But 

She doesn't want to rely 

On them 

It reminds me 

I must begin 

The yearly test 

In mathematics 

Which they call 

Taxes - here

She's bought 

     A little dog -

On social security

     With no rent to pay

She has money

More than you 

Or I 

I worked so hard

For so long

For this old house 

     Only to watch it crumble 

Slowly -

Unable to afford 

To fix it 

Sometimes I wish 

I had a van 

To sleep in 

Let There Be Light

Someone slashed tires 

At the dance 

Was this you again ? 

I'm hiring a friend 

To sit in my truck 

To watch the 

Parking lot 

Twenty tires slashed 

Would an old man like you 

Have the energy ?

It's a mystery

No one can know 

No one sees

We are all left wondering 

Just 

How crazy have you 

Become 

People don't believe -

You can be so 

Sweet 

And fun 

I find myself hoping 

That it is not 

You - but

I keep the security cameras on 

The spotlight in the dark corner 

     Of the yard 

Blinding 

     The passerby