August 6, 2021
Stephen’s 86th Birthday Donut
For me
Our drive from home
In California
To our home in
Santa Fe New Mexico
Was magical
I had you my beloved
All to myself
No telephone ringing
With calls for you
From anyone
No TV voices
To turn off
Only us just us
In the quiet of our
Car
Driving at times
Many miles
In intimate silence
Do you remember
My very dear
The Italian restaurant
In Holbrook Arizona
Where for years
We spent the night
This restaurant
On the outskirts of town
Served astonishingly delicious
Food
Motels crowded the area
A gas station
Close to the entrance
Of the Interstate
Where you would
Fill our tank
Before dinner
So we could leave
Again
While still dark
To drive east
Toward Albuquerque
The sky growing lighter
Lighter
Eating peanut butter
Sandwiches
As the sun rose
Over the Interstate
Day had begun
Of course
Fall always arrived
Aspen leaves
Turned the mountains
To gold
Time for us
To drive home again
To California
My favorite place
To stop
As we drove west
Into the setting sun
Was Casa Grande
Arizona again
A friendly man
How we met a mystery
I do not remember
He told us
He and his family
Owned a restaurant
We should come for
Dinner
And we did
It had a cozy
Atmosphere
And delicious food
A huge old tree
That has stood
For at least a
Hundred years
Was the guardian
Of the front yard
And the family’s
Pride
We went back and
Back
At least four years
On the way home
And then
The tree fell down
The restaurant lost its
Spirit
Closed
And us
We grieved the loss
Knew it wouldn’t be
Replaced
Drove up and down
The road that led into
Casa Grande
Among the motels
Gas stations
McDonald’s and other
Fast food places
Until we found “Millie’s”
It didn’t have a
Huge old tree
It wasn’t very cozy
The food was OK
But as the saying goes
We made do
My dear Love
For twenty-five years
You drove 900 miles
Each way
From California
To New Mexico
From New Mexico
Back
To California
It was a magical time
For me
Being together with
You
I thank you thank you
For the ride
I love you forever and ever
Happy Birthday
Santa Fe, 1986
