An early riser now, I’m up by 6
all summer, and my day off exercise
is Sunday, when I get my weekly fix
of puzzles in the back of Datebook. Eyes
on friendly letters, coffee freshly made,
I want my pleasure solo out of bed.
I used to buy the Sunday Saturday,
but now it’s not available ahead.

So lately, if I want to work the words
on Sunday then I have to walk a bit.
At 7ish I join the early birds,
and stroll in silence past the gardens lit
by rising sunbeams: ancillary boon –
my neighborhood won’t be this fine at noon.