talking together

the back fence
was where she stood,
a laundry basket
at her feet under the cold
april sky,
talking to her friend
the neighbor who
was doing the same.
hanging wet laundry
in the wind.
from the window you
could see them
talking. laughing, sometimes
leaning over
the chain link fence,
waist high
to hug one another
and cry.
this was before cell
phones, before texting
and e mails.
before face book
and all of the other
social media venues.
this was standing
in the back yard in
the long wet grass
pinning clothes on a line
with a neighbor.
talking, together
spending time.