Friday, September 1, 2017

The man from Apolo 15


In 1985, as he publishes
Entering Space: An Astronaut’s Odyssey
I entered kindergarten on my literary voyage
In another world, Votuporanga
He is Allen IV,
I, just the middle child

He entered as salt and pepper sprinkles
on our Friday lunch
At the heat of our discussion
about the ugly faucets
our darling husbands
decided to choose
with the plumber’s guidance...

Here, back on Earth,
As he entered retirement in 2004
from his exits to the moon
I was leaving my Earth
(besides being called a loon)

As life’s shuttle orbited
Around years in and out
As I entered the galaxy of marriage
the constellation of motherhood
the nebula of my accomplishments
our paths cross:

He enters the room
with a gaze of one
who’s seen the moon
With a cane, and a NASA pin
on the navy blue lapel

Still in pilot mode
strategic stops
and plenty nerdy jokes

I tell him skeptical
Are you sure you are an astronaut?
You should have been a comedian

He smiles and tell
yet another one about the burned church.
Holly smokes, I just met Joseph P. Allen IV! 



Washington, DC, Salt and Pepper Restaurant, lunch time with Etna Cantora and Andrea