You cannot move
before I blink
when the afternoon daylight
brings invitations
to delicate lunches
in corner cafes
buffeted by
sooty bushes,
you will not
ask me how well
my health
is holding out,
While a waiter
brings our drinks
and clean silverware
tightly wrapped napkins,
You will never
know my middle name
so please skip
the internet search
for matches
and realize
every city in America
has a dozen folks
with my name,
though our reasons
for staying alive might
vary or
the cause of death
being a cliche, a broken heart,
a bad decision, bad diet,
being a saint, being a jerk,
It doesn’t matter,
There’s no way a can conjure a chat
made of dark leaves and the gifts of sea gulls above us,
there’s no way there are reserved seats
in heaven with my middle name ,
It’s my view God
let it all get out of hand
and blusters about being all -knowing,
there’s no way you’re picking up
the check,
This is on me,
always on me,
Catholic guilt be praised,
It’s on me forever and I must pay.
Ted Burke
.