WARM FEET

MY FEET ARE WARM NOW
AT THE END OF TODAY
THAT WAS ALL I COULD
THINK OF
WAS THAT ALL I WANTED
WAS WARM TOES AND SOLES

IN THE BEGINNING OF THE DAY
ALL I THOUGHT I WANTED
WAS A PLEASANT WORKING SCHEDULE
NO PHONE CALLS FROM FAMILY
NO ONE TO PANIC AROUND ME
AND A GENERAL CASCADING
FEELING OF TENDERNESS
FOLLOWED BY
AN EVENING WITH MY FRIEND
AT HIS HOUSE
MAKING VALENTINES
WITH A HUSTLER MAGAZINE
AND PASTE AND DOILIES

MY FRIEND AND I
WOULD SIT
AND NOT TALK
JUST BE HAPPY TO BE
TOGETHER
BECAUSE THIS FRIEND OF MINE
AND I HAVE TRADED SOME
PARTICULARLY KIND
SENTIMENTS TOWARD
EACH OTHER RECENTLY
AND I APPRECIATE HIM

BUT THE DAY WENT ON
AND ONE LITTLE ACHIEVABLE
GOAL AFTER THE OTHER
DISSOLVED
UNTIL I CAME HOME
AFTER BEING AT WORK
FOR NEARLY 14 HOURS TODAY
AND I PUT ON THE
SLIPPERS MY MOTHER SENT ME
THE ONES I LIKE
THAT YOU CAN ONLY GET
BY GOING TO THE RESERVATION
UP NORTH IN MINNESOTA

I PUT THEM ON MY FEET
THAT WERE COLD AND WET FROM
WALKING TOO FAR IN THE ICE RAIN
AND ACCOMPLISHED AT LEAST
ONE VERY SMALL GOAL
AND I FELT LIKE
A JOKE
THAT SOMEONE GOT INTERRUPTED
BEFORE THEY COULD FINISH