I was at a home show
hot tubs and roof vendors
baked goods and hot sauce
Fancy chamois
that suck up all the spills
What I didn’t expect
was a poet
tucked between
a deck builder
and a coffee cake baker
a young woman
offering to write patrons
A poem
for $10
My hand immediately
reaches into my pocket
here
in the flesh
one of my brethren
a chance to connect
like minds
for only $10
But what would I have her write
The confidence
to write
and hand it over
Immediately
instead of pondering
for months
How do I introduce myself
and not feel weird
it always feels weird
I didn’t buy a poem
or even say hi
I’m a poet, too
it’s a week later
and I still feel guilty
I had $10
I should have bought a poem
even if I couldn’t
introduce myself
but after 46 years on this earth
I still find it hard
to say hi to a stranger