My first scan and a poem

Appearances

What it seems to be

is a 3 X 5 black leather passport

and now sits in the left hand corner

of the red suede blotter on my desk.

Thick black linen tape runs

along the back spine, covering

¾ of an inch back and front.

It is undated, unmarked except

for a beige embossed centerpiece—

a depiction of a black wrought-iron tripod

and on top a black, burnt kettle

smoke pouring out. A curlicue iron

arm stretches over the firepot and little

musicians, tiny, medium and fat-bellied

wearing hats waltz across it.

When you open the booklet it’s lined

with antique marble end papers

of deep dusty rose and white.

It’s not a passport. It's an artifact

from a recent trip to Bordeaux.

The dinner bill from La Tupina

came inside, and I high-jacked it,

with some super-duper high jinks,

maneuver when the waiter wasn't looking,

thinking I might write miniature

poems to place inside one day...

today.

"Appearances" first appeared in Bridle Path Press

(published on BBP 10/25)