(oldbear)

I hear the
old bear
rising,
6:45a.m.
he lumbers
out in his
black t-shirt
and jockeys.
Coffee beans
drop in the
grinder.
The thing lifts
off in a pierching
whine fit
to grind concrete
skyscrapers.
Things rattle,
water boils,
kettle whistles,
porcelain
clanks against
ceramic tile.
Next he goes
outside –
barefoot
for the papers –
two of them.
so we have
twice as much
plastic.
Bags rattle.

The cat
brings home
a gopher &
drops it
on the
new mat.
I like to wake up
early,
so I don’t
miss
any of it.

3/28/00