Hi, neighbor !

1.

The white,

Plastic injection-

Molded lawn and patio chairs

Are on sale at the Big-Box

Store in South Dartmouth

So Antoine takes a drive

On route 6 East to see ‘em.

And real beauties they are,

Stacked high on the floor

Press-fit into themselves

For optimum display.

If Antoine wants 4 of them

He’ll have to pull them

Out from the top of the pile

But he can’t reach the top, and blue-
Vested employees: "How May I Help You Today?"
Are nowhere to be found.

Antoine decides to count them from the floor up.

Maybe he can use 20 around the house;

Scatter some across the yard with plenty

To spare in the event that Harold the neighbor

Asks to borrow a few for his daughter’s

College graduation congratulations cookout get-together.

Take whatever you need, Harold.

Antoine’s glad to help out.

2.

Antoine remembers her

At the cusp of transition,

Cute as a button

Showing-up at the door

In the middle of the 8th knotted at 3,

Curious as to why only Antoine

Would talk to her about what goes on

Behind the shuttered scenes of her life.

Could be she doesn’t remember.

Could be she does.

Maybe Antoine shouldn't chance it.

Got the chairs on the lawn.

Got the ballgame tonight.

Got the urges down there.

Got the wife inside.