ode to noble friends

noble friends

you remind me of the nurse
who, tired of crappy equipment
measuring who knows what,
unplugged the blood pressure cuff
from the monitor...

the cord dangled loosely against the machine
as he wrapped the cuff around
each patient's arm
he didn't smile
but looked us in the eye
with valiant love and dishonesty
and gave each of us
a good number

you remind me of
the fellow who rode his bicycle down the lane
wearing only a smile
and some skimpy underwear
he nodded his head our way
and gave birth to a chain
of shy giggles
among those of us
on the sidewalk

you remind me of the motel maid
after i found my plants
scorched and shriveled in the car
from an hour of noonday heat
my first day in Texas...
the fern and the waxy schefflera
i cried to throw them out
after driving thousands of miles with them
to our new destination
the maid found me and asked
could she please have those plants?
she would nurse them back to life

you remind me of the dogs in the neighborhood
who don't complain about a thing
but keep an eye out for the residents
be they squirrels or birds
or kids weaving slowly by
on scraped and bruised skateboards.
Woof! say the dogs.
the cats run out
from under a parked car
just to greet you
just to arch and roll
against your feet

you don't think
you just show up
you may dangle among the
frostbit leaves of a banana tree
stressed but intent...
or in a jocular mood
gaze from a crumbled scone
or spilled jam and milk
and stick out your foot
when the attacking armies
rush forward
so they tumble down the hill
and do no harm...
you smell sweet as mint
thriving beneath the drippy spigot
i'm talking to you
hero with the big foot
the big stick
the big heart