NOT KEEPING SCORE

Back from Turkey sun-sitting hotly                   drinking          tea along Petaluma river old                            ladies in straw hats and gray-haired men who’ve found second youth                  in bike riding         drinking coffee          (muscles are controlled passion)                           their mean lime spandex leotards bragging about the last sprint across Spring Hill. I: 26       “retired”      smile to spend morning                   drink lemon hibicus hovering over                          crisp pages Marcus Aurelius’ suggestions for Stoic living                         one    glove, bike shorts — back in, you know? special Specialized tshirt with back pocket Gu                           bobby socks                             those little shoes with knobs clunk clunk acoross the wooden deck punching                       more holes than history can handle do you know how fast i can pedal? i can pedal fast                              very very fast