and aren’t checking out, chichis a good sign indeed, Max.
On the whole, this works well, though also a tale told. How to do narrative lyrically? I want something a little less rather than more here, but not sure how to compress & keep all the important info,I admit…
Doug
> On Jul 6, 2016, at 7:40 AM, Max Richards <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> Spots
>
> My son arrives from Tokyo
> via Mullumbimby. Together
> briefly after two years away
> we settle in my hotel cafe
> comparing notes and selves.
>
> What will Andrew make of my aging?
> To his ward, Penny, he observes:
> ‘Dad and I have identical
> facial moles - see.’ Touching
> his left sideburn and mine.
>
> Young Penny exclaims: ‘this
> runs in my family!’ and starts
> touching where relatives
> and she develop spots,
> beauty spots in her case.
>
> I mustn’t lean forward
> peering into her shirt.
> Son and I had better not start
> exposing our blemished chests.
> My mind recoiling reverts
>
> to last week’s medical -
> gung-ho young Dr Young
> of MediSeven down the road
> ran his expert eye everywhere
> distinguishing harmless Spots
>
> (many dozens) from Worries
> (none just now, thanks!), saying
> ‘even the pale soles of your feet!
> I remind people dark-skinned
> Bob Marley succumbed.
>
> No melanoma - yet.’
> As we part, son says:
> ‘you’re OK, fit, alert!
> Unlike my school friend now
> dementing - early onset’.
>
> So, we’d checked each other out.
>
> Melbourne, July 2016
Douglas Barbour
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