PEARS

Pears 

Last night my sweet neighbor Sylvia brought me a paper

Plate of figs and pears

It was dusk and she said she was bringing figs, earlier

In the evening, so I chose three fat pears that

My daughter had given me from her orchard

 I do not have much attachment to pears since

I read that was Lizzy Borden’s alibi for where

She was when her parents were ax murdered-

In their home, she said she was out in the orchard, 

eating pears…and she never heard a thing

Upon this new knowledge, I never saw a pear

The same way again

Of course I had the good sense not to share

This with Sylvia, who is from the Ukraine and

Probably never heard of that part of American

History, plus why sully our good name to

Immigrants who are just getting to know us?

So, Sylvia and I laughed about exchanging pears

All the while I am thinking, I wish she had

Brought just figs, like she promised…

RMK 9/2014