Solomon's Island

she was off the grid.

a little quirky, on the far end
of the spectrum.

she wore what she called snake boots.
white plastic
boots with pictures of umbrellas
on them.

her yard was full of snakes.
she didn't believe in electricity
and pondered

solar panels.
no tv
no radio.

a few lights scattered about,
40 watts.

i slept on a horse blanket in the basement
between pillars
of magazines
from the 1980's.

there was a compost pile
at the far end
of her sloping yard
where all the trash
would go

and where the raccoons would
gather and hiss
at you when

you brought a new pail
of garbage to the pile.

she liked to recite Shakespearean
sonnets
when the mood struck,
taking the floor with grand
gestures

and facial expressions.
valentine cards from her third
grade class

fifty years ago
were scattered about her laundry
room floor.

she was fun, interesting, but a
giant cup of crazy.
like me, but not like me in
so many ways.