A God Thing
A wind cools my cheek
and I call it my gentle angel.
Another wind blows hobo B.O.
into my face, and I curse it as I curse
the drink that made me flush and faint,
though the previous drink filled me
to the brim with confidence and joy,
and I called it my dear friend.
I don’t know what holds me together
from what blows me to pieces.
A company I worked for got sold
to a bigger company in the World Trade Center
in 1997 and everyone was so scared
to get downsized, you’d have thought
the water cooler had been spiked
with downers, but in September 2001,
the Times listed the dead by employer
and I learned that all my co-workers
had indeed been downsized,
and thus spared.
9 thoughts on "A God Thing"
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Awesome, Tom. Balanced form, great narrative, and it moved me.
Thanks so much, Lee.
The phrase “hobo B.O.” almost made me spit my water out, but then things got serious. It always fascinates me when something we think is a curse turns out to be a blessing.
Thanks Chelsie.
Love unexpected turn at the end.
Thanjs. I actually write that first, a couple of days ago, but it didn’t feel like s piem on its own.
Whew those last few lines are so strong. Really moving piece.
Thank you!
Those unexpected twists of fate. I like the concept of this hinge:
I don’t know what holds me together
from what blows me to pieces.