Who Are You?

This lovely lady came disguised as an heirloom tomato. I have my doubts.
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We Are Waiting For Rain

As I drive through town
A man steps into the road

Between OC Liquor and
The Osceola Wearly Monument

Company, aiming for a
Row of mailboxes on

The south side of Lincolnway.

I might know him.

The gait seems familiar,
But the hair has gone blondish-

White, and, frankly, I can’t
Quite gather a name.

The pavement is dry.

His head is tilted
Towards the firmament.

No, no anvils.

We are waiting for rain.

He does not see me.

I lift my foot from the pedal
And let it hover while

He ambles curbside and
Turns his attention

To the U.S. Mail.

My foot finds
The accelerator and I travel

Across Baugo Creek,
Past the train trestle

To the stoplight that marks
The Saint Joseph/Elkhart

County line, where I skirt
The edge and go no further.

Jack White is singing on the radio.

I want love…

I park the car at the end of my
Drive and turn the volume

Up one click.

The sky appears unmoved.

From The Ferris Wheel

Elkhart County Fair
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Patience

You Might Only Live Once

When the temperature hits 103,
Cookie, in late middle age, calls
To say she is sitting in front of her fan

Completely nude. Round,
Bearded Cookie with an IQ
(I’m guessing) of considerably

Less than the actual temperature.

Cookie, living on her own
In a certain body, in a derelict
Frame of mind.

I adjust the air conditioning.

This is an island of memory.

Disconnected, tropical.

Cookie, long passed,
(Five, ten years?)

Clean out of view

Until the weather
resurrects her.

She was saying,

Hey, Charmi,
You might only live once.
You have to make do.

At The Spa

Having a skin treatment. Very reasonable.
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At Two Duck Kiddie Pool

They're eating duck weed.
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Indiana

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Cool Review

While the rest of the spinning world is broiling on a spit over an open fire, Ryan Sanford Smith has posted a beautifully written review of The Afterlife over on WordPress.    Check it out.  It's cool.  And you don't want to go outside.  http://wwbi.wordpress.com/2012/07/06/charmi-keranens-the-afterlife-is-a-dry-county/

In Dragon Years

It's hot.  100 degrees with a heat index of 112. This katydid (formerly known as a praying mantis,still missing its hind leg) has been hanging out on top of the lily pads in my rain barrel.  It's doing okay.  Unfortunately, the koi haven't.  We have lost five today.   This Dragon Summer (my year!) has been brutal on the wildlife, the flowers, the trees.  In a few weeks I'll be four in Dragon Years.  I started running, maybe trying to turn back the decades to Dragon Year 2, or even 1.  Who runs in this weather?!  Crazy dragons, I guess.  They say that Dragon Years are lucky.   I'm beginning to wonder.  The last horrible heat spell, 1988, Tom's birth year, was a Dragon Year, too.

At Three Turtle Pond

Mr. Green Frog vacates the area.