A retired man, the long term
care policy freshly folded
among his papers, he cruises
unhurried in thinning traffic,
wet January streets reflecting
a pleasantry of colors, mostly
stoplights, timing such that he
counts nine blocks steady speed
without stopping, hardly touching
the brake, on the radio German
chamber music, her voice sweet
company, calming his fears.
And what might those be?
says the voice in his head.
Yes, says another,
What might those be?
Roger Pfingston, who lives in Bloomington, Indiana, has poems in recent anthologies from Iowa Press: Say This of Horses and 75 Poems on Retirement. His two most recent chapbooks are Earthbound (Pudding House Publications, 2003) and Singing to the Garden (Parallel Press,2003). His poems have recently appeared or are forthcoming in Main Street Rag, Front Range Review, Chiron Review, The Pedestal Magazine, Mannequin Envy, kaleidowhirl, Poetry Midwest, The MacGuffin, The Ledge and The Innisfree Poetry Journal. Roger also has a poem coming out this Spring in a new anthology from Holy Cow Press titled Beloved on the Earth: 150 Poems of Grief & Gratitude.