Stuart gave David a ride in his cab
while still pursuing his lifelong dream
creating African American art
then bumped into Alan
a conductor with an amazing ear
who encountered Eastern
a veteran peacemaker
who hired Patricia
an auditor from San Jose
to share numbers with Marion
a great grandmother
who had Merle
an ordained minister
officiate her daughter’s wedding
one cloudy winter’s day
somewhere in Poughkeepsie
while Harvey lived out his life across
from the Yankee Stadium
sweet John from Philadelphia loved
capturing life events so brilliantly
on his camera
met Fernando, a graffiti artist
from New York City
he smiled at John from Terre Haute
a volunteer football coach
who’s mom was Clara
she sang her grandchildren songs
their first day of school each year
then traveled to visit her cousin Harry
who loved life near the ocean
swimming and boating in San Francisco
and cooked gourmet meals for Orlando
who came from Peru to live
with Vinton in Michigan
who’s oldest brother was Leo from Seattle
who wore bolo ties and suspenders
and survived to the ripe age of 98.
Marsha Johansen lives in Albuquerque, NM and holds a Bachelors in Business Management. Her collection of poems called "Around the Edges" was published in 2018. Her poems and prose have been published in The New York Magazine, Tulip Tree Publishing, PoetryLovers.com, Fixed & Free Anthologies 2015/2018, New Mexico Poetry Society Chapbook and the Overseas Adventure Travel Magazine.
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