In Absentia
2
At the Airport
It’s dark when we leave the car in the car park.
You unload your suitcase and wheel it away.
Dawn dawdles and you’ll see its very first spark,
high in the sky, like turkey vultures who play
with fire from old gods and return to earth,
wings aflame. People no longer kneel and pray
for fair winds and fine weather. There is a dearth
of hands conjoined in prayer. Fingers clasp books, lap
-tops, scans, photo IDs, seat choice, proof of birth …
nobody smiles, nobody laughs. It’s a crap
-shoot, really, each flight, dice rolling as to who
sits next to who(m). Can anyone tell which chap
will pull out a knife or gun and threaten to
kill someone if rough orders are disobeyed.
It wasn’t like this before: jungle law, zoo
-keepers needed to keep order, guns displayed
by security guards who look grim and show
their teeth, gritting them tight as if on parade,
as if they wanted someone to help them grade
each passenger, each situation, dogs low
-slung sniff at you when you board, and you afraid
your fear will show. Come back my love. Don’t go.
rogermoorepoet 
Aw, so sad, Roger! Keeping busy will help the time pass. *cough* Don Quixote reading questions *cough* 🙏
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Nasty little cough you’ve got there, Meg. I just sent my MAJOR project up to Amazon and it will be checked and then published in a day or two. I am so excited. Having great fun and Skyped for an hour with Clare this morning. She’s having fun and looking very happy and rested. I’m so pleased for her.
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Congratulations again! Good to hear the trip is going well and you’re managing on your own. Take care!
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I’m thinking Clare has headed off to visit Ottawa?
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Let’s say she has left me, with my blessing, to visit our daughter and our grand-daughter for Thanksgiving. Poetically, I am devastated. Physically, I’m worn out: I forget how much energy the house takes. Educationally, I am being house-trained by the cat. We won’t dwell for too long on this last item.
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