waiting

waiting
lovers and telephones
the bouquet of red roses
the second honeymoon
waiting
families and letters
or the decrepit ones and their inheritance
the first new car, the dream house, the best piano
waiting
friends and a movie
the invitation for that snazzy party
no more wallflower weekends
waiting
unemployed and offers of usefulness
new boss and promotions for merit
fixing the coffee machine
waiting
students and better grades
winning the drama society fellowship
the high-school diploma at thirty five against all odds
waiting
children and clean rooms
parents knowing the rules of Zen meditation
waiting
unknown writers and an invitation signed Pulitzer
musicians to be heard in Carnegie Hall
standing room only
Berlin Philharmonic and free tickets
front row views of the artistry
waiting
an outsider winning at the races
an unrigged tournament with no drugged competitors
waiting
the luckless and winning lottery numbers
the superstitious and the full moon
avoiding black cats and ladders
with a four-leaf clover in hand
and on it goes
forever we wait
those things most cherished happen rarely
were we to wait for something else
would it take less time?



         waiting
         12 may, 2005