September 1988

For Mike Baxter

it is Sunday

late in the afternoon

beneath a brilliant autumn sky

I’ve just completed

part of a letter to Beth

as you’ve just done

a letter of your own

and have fallen asleep

across the table from me

as I write this

and now we come to the reason

why I write this

I wish to thank you

for helping me live

so far from home

you are indeed

a friend