Category Archives: Neighborhood

Nextdoor and the Loud Boom (HA 72 Curtal Sonnet)

Posted on May 28, 2020 by sputterpub

When I lived here in 1968, we drove old Volkswagens and ate low-cost. We roomed with dogs and fleas and smoked a lot. Some nights we heard explosive noises, late and loud. We learned the sound of bad exhaust would … Continue reading →

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Graduation Party (HA 64 Magic 9)

Posted on May 20, 2020 by sputterpub

I live near college students. Come each fall they take up residence and party some. One year they launched a beer across the wall between us, but they aren’t pests to me. Of course I miss their liveliness – the … Continue reading →

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The Neighbor’s Cat

Posted on March 30, 2020 by sputterpub

The neighbors have a cat that lives outside as if it were an apex beast of prey, evolved to wanton feats of avicide, and tearing plants his collar pulls away from trellises or tangles with the hose, refining talons scoring … Continue reading →

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Benvenue

Posted on September 23, 2019 by sputterpub

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 … Continue reading →

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Laddies of the Lake

Posted on July 30, 2019 by sputterpub

At least two years ago, the city paved our street again, at nobody’s request. The company that won the bid behaved as if they knew their work, and no one guessed until they left how poorly they performed – they … Continue reading →

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Divergence

Posted on June 27, 2019 by sputterpub

I’m used to mendicants on streets and trains, exposed to dirty butts and putrid scents, implored in every way to spare some change – in public transit I’ve experience. But I was just accosted by a guy, light black, soft-spoken, … Continue reading →

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Eyebath

Posted on May 20, 2019 by sputterpub

There come some days here, nearly every May, when dirt and branch infect me with surprise. I felt it first this year on Saturday, as if a balm applied to soothe my eyes became effective at the stroke of one. … Continue reading →

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The Flock

Posted on May 6, 2019 by sputterpub

Approaching Rockridge Station from the south at 8 a.m. on Monday, in the cold, a vision raised the corners of my mouth, amused me to a pause, and soon cajoled a chuckle — where the platform spans the street, I … Continue reading →

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Good Neighbors

Posted on December 10, 2018 by sputterpub

Two skunks made babies in my yard last week, assuming that was reproductive sex: two poufs of jet bisected by a streak of white elongating their backs and necks. That’s two months early, says the Internet. Their mating season doesn’t … Continue reading →

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The Other Fog

Posted on September 11, 2018 by sputterpub

Had to fog the house to choke summer’s immigrants – rat fleas and rat mites

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