AGAIN BEGIN WITH A POEM

Just shy of a year since my last post and I can't help but wonder why. Well there are many reason, but none that really hold water. How long does it take to post? Not much. The biggest reason is that I am in a ROCK BAND! We haven't gigged yet, but we have been busy busting out original tunes, tinkering in the studio, and getting ready for some summer JAMS! Still, I guess I coulda posted some poems, or some art, or some commentary, or whatever. But, I didn't. It is what it is.

Anyway, just got a letter from j-dog. Enclosed was a short note and a poem. I share the poem with you now. SHINNYO BOOKS released j-dog's first book of poems some time back. It is entitled Q & A. This poem is new and was not in the collection. ENJOY!

HELLO AGAIN
by David Joseph Persons 3.9.08

I pulled my old bicycle
down from the rafters,
knocked the cobwebs from
the spokes and pumped
up the tires with the
wood handled pump
A quick shine,
a squeeze of the brakes,
a few drops of oil on
the chain
and I was ready to roll

My legs felt like
leaden weights,
my butt had
forgotten the feel
of the leather
saddle
But the same breeze
still blew across
my face and the
same feeling of
loosed liberty quickened
my heart as I headed
out of town - east,
towards the country,
toward the rolling
foothills of the
Sierras

On that old bicycle
I used to do a lot
of thinking
about life,
circumstances,
nature
and God
We had a lot of
conversations
God and I,
we had a system -
I'd complain about
something or other,
He'd listen,
laugh,
and tell me to quit
being such a baby
I'd pedal and bitch
He'd laugh then say,
"Hey, look at this!"
And a red tailed hawk would
take off from its
barbed-wire perch
He always amazed me like that,
with something special
for me on my bike
And whatever had been bugging me
soon didn't seem
that important
But the jackrabbits did,
and the kestrels,
the flocks of ducks and geese

So now I'm at it again
same bike,
same country roads
But it's been a while,
a long while
I'm not sure if the system
is still in place
I pedal along in silence
trying to muster up the
courage to say something,
anything,
feeling like I should just
turn my bike around and
go back home
when I hear a sound
A sound like laughter
faint at first
then louder
then no mistaking
a clear ringing laughter
"You big baby! Come on.
I haven't gone anywhere! I've
been waiting for you! I've got
something I want to show you.
Here, look at his!"