Skylands July 16, 2017

album

Wallkill NWR July 15, 2017

album

windows on the world

for Sharon

I like your plan to engineer a new outlook

The result of replacing a single window with four

Opening the view to our side yard trees and rock garden

That we may enjoy from our dinner table.

Not now, you say, next year

But already I visualize what it will be like

Including the additional houseplants hanging there

Joining our large collection in this house of windows.

For your birthday there’s nothing you request

Except some stickers for the windows to warn the birds

Though we did pass a house with a peaked glass roof

That you pointed out wishfully as a place for more plants.

Such greenery in our life becomes you

As I look upon the beautiful plants all around us

Growing nurtured in good health by you

Cultivated with your loving touch, as am I.

transcending with Rosie

Arriving an hour early on purpose

To take a summer morning walk in the park

Past the picnic preparations on the lawn

Around the Lake House and back to your door.

You were waiting there to welcome us

Improvising a space for a private conversation

Gathering our chairs around the large table in the lobby

As if that room was your front parlor on a stage

Punctuated with the entrances and exits of your neighbors

Parading past as the large cast of characters for our visit

So many surprised and happy to see you again

After such a long time since you have been out of your apartment.

First to greet you came Phil stopping on his way out

He who battled the landlord alongside you forty years ago

Bantering about his white hair under his baseball cap

Showing us the photo on his phone of his curly college locks.

Soon the elevator discharged Pabo sauntering up to you

Asking as he left to only tell the good stories about him

So of course we soon heard of his most notorious escapade

Climbing the front of the building and falling mostly unhurt.

In came the young man carrying his bike up the stairs

Smiling shyly when you called hello to him, telling us

How he rescued you when he found you trapped

Between the door and the wall, calling for help.

Making eye contact with every dog on a leash, inviting each

To come over and smell your hand to make friends

Telling us stories about the hyper-awareness of animals

You know about the extraordinary senses of other species.

We talked about what it means to each of us to transcend

The topic that you had chosen for our visit to discuss

About getting lost in the moment forgetting all else

About the way that a beautiful scene transports us.

Years ago in your Buffalo days how you would enjoy a drive

Going slowly along a country road next to the Niagara River

With a classical music station playing on the radio

Alone with your thoughts enjoying the landscape.

Back in the present at ninety-six years old very much alive

You are moved to speak up forcefully about the plight of the Palestinians

When March the physical therapist comes over to tell us at length

Her life story and her ancestor’s stories and even her Israel trip.

We hear about your phone call from Mary getting in touch again

Asking for details of the history of the struggle you remember so well

Telling how Betsy and Steve persisted for a year demonstrating at the bus stop

Winning in the end the wheelchair accessibility we have today.

At the departure hour for us we went up to your apartment

Taking the chance to visit a minute with Milt in his bed

Pleased that he recognized us and could joke around

Telling us how his sunset window looks out on Shangri-La

Leaving you with some miniature pastries to enjoy

And a bouquet of flowers picked from our garden

Happy we were able to be with you for a few hours

Taking sweet memories back home until next time.