stranger poetry

Once when I was younger- not old enough to buy my own alcohol, but dating someone who was- I was sitting outside of the LCBO in Owen Sound trying not to look too conspicuous. I was sitting on the curb in the parking lot, and a man walked up to me and started to tell me about his life. He told me that his name was James. He was a published poet, and he told me that I had probably read some of his poems before, maybe without knowing it. He was intoxicated, that kind of intoxication that seems and smells permanent- and he was on his way to buy some more alcohol for his evening. He has sad watery eyes, red red skin, days old stubble. He sat beside me and talked for awhile, about his poetry mostly. I wanted to read something that he'd written, I asked him where I could find something to read. He asked me if I had a paper and pen, and told me that he'd write me a poem right then. I gave him my brand new notebook and starting in pencil, then switching to pen, he wrote me this poem. And then he flipped the book over and wrote on the last (or was it the first) page another poem. His writing is messy, but I think I have deciphered them.

"Through the

journey through

life your journey

I know God

love's you so

through the

ups and downs

he is always

around" (signed James).

"You know

things can't go

wrong and I

know it's the

same old song

we try every day

in every way

you will do ok."

Sometimes I wonder about this man James and where life finds him, or where he finds life now.