Ed Casebeer's poems have appeared in Wisconsin
Review, Inprint, Indiannual, pLopLop and The Alley Cat on
the Page. As E. F. Cherrytree, he published three stories
in Evergreen Review. He won honorable mention in a poetry chapbook
competition held by the Indiana Writers' Center, was the featured poet twice on
a WTBU series
presenting Indiana poets, and refuses to confess his true identity.
Break
It was 10:00 AM. I had just arrived home
After lifting pounds at the YMCA
And was going to unload from the truck
ten sacks of mulch, five of topsoil,
A new hose and a box for it,
and four new sprayers
to replace the ones that we left out all winter.
Just then you also came home
with a green folder of taxes from the auditor.
”We owe nothing!”
So we took a break.
You made tea. I made coffee.
You asked, “Do you want apples?”
I replied, “Yes. Do you have cheese?”
“Look,” you said and held out a plate of dilled Havarti
with sliced Pink Lady apples.
“We’re telepathic,” I said.
“Or in a rut,” you said.
We took our meal and newspapers out to the deck
to the tiled table with the umbrella. The sun was just right.
You sat in light. I sat in shade.
A bird sang. I looked up at the oak tree.
“What is that?”
“Not a mockingbird.”
I turned to my crossword puzzle.
You read articles to me.
The temperature was just right.
I looked up from my puzzle.
You looked up from your paper.
I said, “This may be our best moment.”
You said, “Yes.”
