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Pilgrim's
Progress
by
Leland Jamieson
Sophomores’
Pool Party
A
dozen boys, in
dripping knee-length
shorts,
behind them skinny
girls, bikini-clad
—
all barefoot —
sprint downhill.
The race aborts.
The tarmac, sizzling
late June sun,
forbade
and quickly detoured
their ‘olympiad’.
They sit in clumps
on neighbors’
cooler grasses
—
hot-footed sheepish
lads and social
lasses.
On
Tiptoe
On
tiptoe towards
the mirror every
dawn,
the little man
with little chin
takes care,
near his goatee,
lest he look woebegone.
Too light a stroke
leaves too much
stubbled hair;
too bold, and
he may leave some
chin quite bare.
Thank god that
he has lots of
perseverance —
essential to keep
up a man’s
appearance.
Estate
Planning
A
man works hard
to fill his life
with gold,
or, writing books,
with feeling,
intellect —
perhaps with kids
to care for him
when old.
By these he seeks
control, strives
to perfect
his power, make
it so it runs
unchecked.
And, late, perhaps,
he’ll come
to see that knot
of character he’ll
both take —
and lay to rot.
©
2008 by Leland
Jamieson
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