A giant heart, perhaps a cow’s,
soaking in brine
on the window sill.
(It’s always better not to ask.)
Immense cat
apparently sleeping on the counter
with a cutting board and cleaver
next to him. (It probably means nothing,
but why chance it?)
His sudden move to block
access to the fridge when you ask
if there’s anything cold to drink.
(Oh, he’s just very private, or perhaps
he rarely cleans it?)
His hands twisting in his lap
the whole time you’re speaking with him,
his knee a piledriver ramming the desk.
(Not used to people staying more than a minute,
maybe? Too self conscious about that smell?)
That smell…
(but who doesn’t have something they are
embarrassed about?)
Such a quiet man usually, nice to all,
keeps to himself. (His voice, so eager
one moment, so guarded the next,
and always the shaking leg…)
You say goodbye — neighbor talking
to neighbor. But you’re filing away details
you’ll never mention until
the news trucks park in front of the house.
(If they ever do…which, of course, you highly doubt
will happen. Why would it?)
Dark Matter 
June 21st, 2009 at 6:27 am
Laura and Tony — As I was reading this poem I was thinking: Tom Waits “What’s he doing in there” (strange coincidence #1) which I happened to mention yesterday at the sound of a neighbor hammering and sawing and drilling away (strange coincidence #2).
I just stumbled onto your place, Tony, and it’s great. Unpretentious poetry like a breath of fresh air. Thanks for putting it “out there.”
M.
June 21st, 2009 at 8:03 am
Thank you so much, and welcome. Stumble back sometime!
June 13th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
This is fun, Tony. It reminds me of Tom Waits grumbling, “What’s he doing in there?” with an added layer of commentary and humor. I think you do a good job accurately illustrating the small, constant self-corrections most of our minds make for the sake of civility…
June 13th, 2009 at 1:23 pm
HA. I love that song…
This was designed pretty much to be just a semi-fun piece, and you caught the intent. Thanks!
A while back when Michael Moore had his TV show, they actually rented a small suburban house and started doing weird shit at weird hours…chainsaws running, big oil drums, digging in the yard. When the “police” came to take the occupant away, a “news crew” went around and asked the neighbors what they knew about the occupant…you can guess the answers, I suspect.