Ernest Lowe

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Of Course It Was A Perfect Day

We start with Lee Konitz's
wry elderwisdom still caressing our ears
preparing us for a perfect day in Berkeley.

Wasn't it perfect how tawdry
the scene was in my eyes
no way matching the psychedelic wonders
of that past life
or my perfect nostalgia
for the ghost of a life
with Grace.
Found no etchings in the walls
still standing.
The 'magic' was buried in the memories,
too little shining in the present
where all real magic lives.

Ajanta was so much more perfect in C. J.'s Garage.
Even climbing past perfect Panoramic Steps
was too much for our perfectly painful knees.

Ah, but more than perfect
was Le Bateau Ivre the most elegant,
indeed the only elegant
coffee house in Berkeley.
And how you shined on the elegant little man
serving perfectly lukewarm coffee mit milch.
Such perfect photos you took
of me being perfect there.

Ah then there was the sad perfection
of the Buffalo Exchangers
meth heads and grifters
bringing in their bags and boxes
of shiny new shoes
while you searched out
a change of clothes
midst Midsummer Night's masks
of pigs and donkeys.

Perfect my absent minded guidance
along the drought stricken streets
my failure to prepare you
for what was to happen next
on this unmystery tour.
No less perfect your frustration and
critique of my perfect failure.
And such a miracle
how you kept doggedly going the right way
in the face of such lack of guidance.

Somehow we stumbled our way
to the Bay's shore in time for a perfect,
not to mention magnificent sunset,
subtle even, perfectly subtle I'd say.
A perfectly magnificent subtle sunset
with electric eels dancing in the stoned water.

Then the glass box of a restaurant
floating over the water
full of perfect talking heads
our table right by the window
looking out at the perfect last light
shining over Mount Tamalpais
that perfect lady reclining on her side.
Perfectly overdone mahi mahi
on a bed of lukewarm risoto
was just an excuse for us to play at table
stoned elders still in their first childhood
hoping to set a perfect example
of how to dine out
on the perfect Bay.

Tu diga palabras perfecto de compasión
por Hermana Olivia des Las Platas
y dio tambien un poquita cado.

So this is a perfect thanks for a day together.

Of course it was a perfect day.

(October 16,2014)

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