hope
looks like a tall, thin architect

In the picture he has
a bald head and large hands
and my mother’s deep eyes

last night he called
and we talked about kids
and Berkeley and Patti
and our same favorite book
and his voice is deep and quite kind

and with that kind voice
he said
that he loved hearing mine

– FLB

***

hope
is a woman
with orange-red hair
like an heirloom tomato
who reads and reads
and edits and edits
and wears her fiery locks
tied in a low low pony tail
she is a viking
with a decisive fist–
no,
she is a random house
with stained glass windows–
no,
she is a penguin,
with intuitive glassy eyes.
she represents strength
prosperity
ambition
accomplishment
and is named after my favorite
month of the year
when i make spiced cranberry sauce
and pumpkin pecan pies with
extra cinnamon

– LB