The Same. . .Only Different

If I hadn’ta left the beach early. . .

feelin’ like grit

an’ if I’da bypassed Uptown Gym

for more familiar territory. . .

an’ if I didn’ta go

impulsive-like

to check on that job I know I won’t take

good busywork in lieu of

an’ if I’da been rigid

­like I said I would be. . .

an’ skipped Gelson’s sriracha wings

–an’ guilty!

Gone on to Vons for sundries,

an’ smokes

I’d hate myself for

only to bump into seXe Dave

or was it vice-revers’a?

an’ chat just exactly

long enough to decide against death

an’ feel attractive again

that Dave knows how to do that

then I never woulda

got home when I did. . .

to discover that terrified bunny baby

soaked from days of storm

a sittin’ duck

on our patio built for killin’

a mouse for cat

just waitin’ta get picked off.

An’ that bon-bon size

bun-bun

was too easy to catch

even fer me

after tossed wheat Chex went ignored

an’ reachin’ into the inadequate cover he’d assumed,

I took the shiverin’ bun∙let to Wildlife Care

inna carrier that’ll take the edge off vet trips, now

–assurin’ him alla way

he’d be warm,

an’ he’d be fed,

an’ he’d be safe,

tellin’ him I knew it didn’t feel like it, now

fer me either

but he was gonna make it out alive

stronger

–restored,

an’ all growed up

. . .

an’ still

so close to home.