By May 29
For Marilyn
Maryland, oh my Maryland.
It’s her birthday today!
My friend till the end:
Marilyn. I could tell all
of the stories – of riding
around town in cars,
of breakfast at The Rock,
of telling tales
at the lumberyard bench
of machetes in the milo,
of swimming
in the horse tank,
of tossing bread dough
across the home-ec
work stations,
of finding the cooking
sherry, of swimming
at the river, of climbing
into the historic cabin behind
her house and finding
“True Detective” magazines
in its loft. I could tell
of walking to school
every morning in the rain
in the snow, in the sunshine.
I could tell of sitting in the
post office, loitering against
the law, and reading the
FBI’s Wanted posters.
I could tell about babysitting
for her neighbors, The Beanies,
or about gym class
and “scooter days,”
about Mr. Smith spitting
into the wind during
track practice. I could
tell about all of these
things, but two words
sums them up:
We laughed.