I thought maybe I forgot how
to make one in the seven months

you’ve been gone from this earth,
but it was simple enough & to celebrate

flower planting out front was the perfect
occasion. I knew I had one of those little

cups of Blue Bell vanilla left in the freezer –
perfect, but I had to run to the Marathon

for an A&W to meet all your specifications –
just how you liked yours in one of those

old fat-stemmed smoke Duz goblets.
Let the ice cream soften enough &

you can squeeze it out of the cup. Plop.
Slide. Hold to open the A&W. Wait.

Fizz. Pour the root beer straight over.
Let it foam for a bit and then tilt

that glass to lessen the build, not too
much of a head, just enough. Add

a straw and one of the long spoons
we’ve had as long as I can remember

since we made pineapple & chocolate
sundaes in the summer on our back porch

on Pear Street. I’ll sit on the porch tonight &
enjoy it all, although half would be plenty.