Tom came to his apartment adjoining mine.
He talked about you,
and especially your daughter. To him
she is precious.

He wondered if pine
trees cause allergies for you
or the little blond girl who showed him
around the house, made such a fuss

over him. But it was you,
and your stories about the hard life
you have lived that touched his heart.
He brought you pizza and watermelon.

You
won his admiration, for he, too, has had strife
enough in his past to jumpstart
friendship with only pizza and watermelon.