Patsy says there’s no fool like an old fool
and she looks at me with a twinkle
in her eye.
               I tell her that I have seen
the power and the glory of poetry.
I grin and she laughs subtly.    What a great
relationship we have, I think to my-
self. “You need to get out more
                               your nose spends
too long in books. You could mow the lawn    or
tidy the garage or put up those shelves
I keeping asking for.”        This is her idea
of the division of labour.
                      “And the bathroom
faucet is still leaking. It’s been
three years.”        It’s time I stood up for myself
but       there’s a lot to be said for big grins.

John Lyons