Thirteen

I was going to change the world

Writing a dozen influential novels

 and half as many

books of poetry,

all to be studied and

remembered for at least 400 years.

Sixty-three

pre-dawn coffee

walking the dog

listening to both

rain on the front porch tin roof

and the courthouse bell

across the street

tolling four am

eating a sandwich made from

leftover cream chicken

 my wife cooked for supper last night

planning pork tocas for breakfast

a family trip to Tallahassee

for broken watches

and college clothes

then back to supper

of home-made deep-fried eggrolls

tomorrow a trip to the springs

before the rain comes

I never changed the world,

but I have loved the life,

so far