2000/card

A birthday card I bought three months early,
and addressed three days too soon to mail.
Forgotten when I went to the P.O.,
so that it ended up being mailed
only marginally on time.
In a perfect world it might have arrived
on time. Except it was returned postage due
then mailed three days late.
But not before it fell out of my truck
into the gutter water.
Well, I hope it’s a better year than that.
I have a friend who never sends cards.
Perhaps I shouldn’t,
perhaps, my cards are bad luck.

Luckily, I called as well,
a grade school friend my age,
and found out then I was younger
than I thought.
I’ve done that for years –
forgotten my age. Round myself
to the nearest five-year increment.
I felt a great relief with that extra year.
I’ve been feeling so behind.
And have had it in my head,
since I can’t remember when
that the age I thought I was
was the year when
I would die.

3/15/00