Reunion

What do you say when you meet with a friend
After decades of being apart?
Can you continue from where you left off?
How do you know where to start?

Your memory’s stuck with an image and thus,
Certain photos are frozen in time;
It’s jarring to realize how much we’ve all aged
When we picture ourselves in our prime.

Even if someone looks great, you can see
The give-away march-of-time changes:
The innocence lost, the hair that’s turned gray,
The subtle way flesh rearranges.

So you reminisce and return to that time
When life seemed so easy and sweet;
And you understand being there, just for a while,
Is a lovely and magical treat.

A Welcome Change

Sweltered in the sun today;
‘Twas hard to even move.
Being cool was not on tap;
You’d never find your groove.

Raindrops helped a little bit,
But not enough to count.
Humidity did reign and made
Discomfort paramount.

All morning and all afternoon,
Non-stop we all complained.
Despite the water we did drink,
Our cranky moods remained.

Until tonight – for suddenly
The air was fresh and breezy.
Stopping all that kvetching then
Was well-deserved and easy.

When I got home I quickly ran
And shut off the A/C.
The open windows let the coolness
Waft right over me.

The weather is a lot like life:
There’s suffering and pleasure.
When Mother Nature sends relief,
It’s something we must treasure.

Walken on Air

Saw Christopher Walken in a show;
He was just terrific.
You can see him on TV;
Really, he’s prolific.

The audience was there to cheer
And offer their support.
He didn’t disappoint at all,
I’m happy to report.

So many Broadway shows these days,
Import a famous star,
But often these performances
Are really quite bizarre.

But Walken, strange as he appears,
Was perfect in his role.
Whenever he was on the stage,
His virtues we’d extol.

The play will close tomorrow.
Producers want what’s fresh;
But I’m delighted that I saw
Chris Walken in the flesh.

Finding a Dress

My son’s getting married
And I’m feeling stress
For plenty of reasons,
One being: my dress!

It’s really important
To find something snazzy,
But I don’t like styles
Too razzamatazzy.

I want not one sequin,
One seed pearl or bead.
Simple and elegant
Is what I need.

My friend, who’s been through this
Whole process before,
Gave up her day off,
Dragging me store to store.

With patience and humor
She helped me decide
On a dress to reflect
What I feel like inside.

She zipped and she analyzed,
Bolstered, critiqued;
Each dress, with her fingers,
She altered and tweaked.

And finally, like a great group
A cappella,
I put on a dress and felt
Like Cinderella.

It fit like a glove
And was classy and charming;
And, shockingly, cost-wise,
It wasn’t alarming.

I’ll order it shortly
And, factors permitting,
I’ll soon get a call
To come in for a fitting.

My son’s getting married!
We’ll soon celebrate;
And in my new dress,
I believe I’ll look great!

Muggy

Though I’d hate to get mugged
By some low-life or druggie,
It cannot be much worse
Than when New York gets muggy.

The air is so thick
It’s like you’re suffocating;
And sweat pores, I swear,
Seem to be procreating.

You can’t drink enough
To alleviate thirst;
And then you just pray
That your bladder won’t burst.

Your clothing just clings
Like a car decal sticker,
And inside your shoes
Your wet feet feel much slicker.

You pop into stores
For a breath of A/C
And think – it’s just June –
So how can this be?

It seems clear to me
Global warming is real.
How else to explain
Just how droopy I feel?

We must keep in mind
That this weather won’t last,
But I sure hope that autumn
Will get here – real fast!

Mosquito Bites

You’re minding your business.
You’re out in the sun.
It’s muggy, although
Summer’s not yet begun.

You’re planting some flowers,
Some pinks, reds, and whites,
And don’t even notice
You’re covered in bites.

‘Cause all of the hours
That you have been working,
Mosquitoes were plotting,
Just buzzing and lurking.

And when you provided
A nice swath of skin,
The word got around
And ‘twas time to dive in.

Now you’re left with many
A reddening welt;
I wish each mosquito
Could know how it felt.

‘Cause each waking moment
Today was a bitch,
Since nothing could soothe me
The way I did itch.

I’m sure in a day or two
It will subside;
And scratching’s not helping –
Believe me, I’ve tried!

Found Out

Where’s the gift I got for you?
How’s it working out?
Via email or the phone
I’d lie, without a doubt.

“Of course, I really like it.
I use it all the time.”
Long ago I learned that
Small white lies are not a crime.

The thought’s what really matters,
So every gift received
Is special but not always
In the way it was perceived.

I know I’ve given several gifts
Recipients have hated;
That doesn’t mean their feelings for me
Have become negated.

I’ve tried to find that perfect thing
But don’t always succeed,
Especially when choosing something
They don’t really need.

So when my brother asked to see
The wine-pouring device
He’d sent to me, I brought it out –
A lie would not suffice.

I never even used it,
I hated to confess.
I knew that his annoyance
He was trying to repress.

But hey – these things do happen.
We sometimes miss the mark.
Guessing someone’s taste is like
A shot made in the dark.

We’ll rectify the problem
And soon all will be fine.
Let’s crack that sucker open
And we’ll pour a little wine!