Seeing your neighbor approaching on his regular walk
You prepare your greetingThe approach, greeting, response, and good-bye
All without either breaking stride
Requires careful thought
To avoid the banal or repetitious
Chats about weather, current events, gossip
Otherwise leisurely and relaxed
Become almost sound bites
Or text messages“The air smells a bit like rain today”
“Looks like Sonny met his match in the Senator”
“Joannie has a ring – our neighborhood women win”This is the basic work of poetry
Culling down many words to the freighted few
And the very best of these remarks might make a poem**poem**
Perhaps runners develop a haiku version
Of the walkers’ poem.--Charlene Hurt, 16 June 2008