Author Archives: sputterpub

Living with No Earthquake Valve

Posted on May 6, 2023 by sputterpub

My cottage sits behind a shingled boxthat holds four separate units. They all sharea gas line but my own’s alone. When shocksfrom work around their basement (to repairthe drainage) caused the earthquake valve to trip,I understood why heaters didn’t flame,why … Continue reading →

Posted in Home, Poetry | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Morning Sights While Walking

Posted on May 5, 2023 by sputterpub

The first remarkable: an ailing mouse,mid-sidewalk, all a-twitch, a grounding sight;then doors with labels at the firehouse,read Medic, Truck, and Engine, left to right;and third I saw the shoes, 6 pair, uprightamid the weeds adjacent to the street.Such were the … Continue reading →

Posted in Neighborhood, Poetry | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Best Guess

Posted on May 4, 2023 by sputterpub

Does this post-nasal drip portend a cold?(The kids I hug have recently been well.)Or could it be the start of Covid’s hold?(I’m negative but it’s too soon to tell.)I woke at 3 to feeling choked with phlegm,and didn’t screen a … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Health, Poetry | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

A Soft Spot

Posted on May 3, 2023 by sputterpub

A week ago, while reading in my chair,the vernal sunshine beckoned me to startthe ceiling fan, and open to warm airthe door of glass beside me. Looking downI noticed withered bugs or dust motes there.I took a cloth and swept … Continue reading →

Posted in Home, Poetry, Weather | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The Decline of BART

Posted on May 2, 2023 by sputterpub

I used to ride BART to the city and backfour work days or more every week,preferring the last car, where crowding was slack,employing an end seat technique,enjoying my privacy, able to viewwhose ride was proceeding near mine.But that was the … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Transit | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Heat & Fire

Posted on May 1, 2023 by sputterpub

The photograph’s from April 21st.A morning shot, the blaze remote-controlled.The chill of dawn had thoroughly reversed,and forecasts showed an end to waking cold.A month of Spring had already been tolled,but California’s calendar divertsfrom elsewhere norms – the time has come … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Weather | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Resistance Training

Posted on April 30, 2023 by sputterpub

The challenge is to certainly decideto rest an ailing area again.It’s quite improved since yesterday. I’d ridemy stationary bike, if I were tenyears younger, like I felt last week inside.But now is here and otherwise than then.Tomorrow I expect to … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Holidays, Poetry | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Back Care

Posted on April 29, 2023 by sputterpub

I think I can ease this though I’m over seventy-three,in spite of the fact that they told me there isn’t a fix.The sad diagnosis the doctor depicted for megoes back to a summer of pain in Two Thousand and Six.I … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Health, Poetry | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Mom’s Almost-Fall

Posted on April 28, 2023 by sputterpub

She didn’t fall, exactly – more a slide,slow-motion and against the idling car,until she gently met the asphalt. Pridedictated her denial, but by farit was the softest topple. Sure we arerelieved we saw no injury. We heldher and uprighted her, … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Family, Poetry | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Weird Quiet

Posted on April 27, 2023 by sputterpub

The quiet’s weird, when what we have in mindare floods of Spring that flow from snow that nearedor passed recorded history. I findthe quiet’s weird. They plastered pictures when the drifts appeared.The pack’s too deep, but news is deaf and … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Weather | Tagged , | Leave a comment