1bigblackblog

A BEER REFRESHING


when i was ten or eleven or maybe nine there was
a television commercial for a beer called hamms.

a bear is canoeing down a river
there are trees and hills
indian tom toms are rhythmically beating
very pleasant voices begin to sing

" from the land of clear blue water

comes a beer thats cool and so refreshing

hamms "

i remember my parents and their friends, roy and irene,
sitting at the dining room table. i watch as irene sips
a beer. it is hamms. she asks if i want a taste.
i look at dad. he tells me to go ahead it wont kill me

irene hands me her glass. i shyly put it to my mouth
and drink. i make a face ! it tastes horrible !!
i quickly return the glass to irene.
she roy mom and dad have a good laugh


....the answering machine startles me. it must be two
or three oclock. i reach for the phone. its trish and
its only ten thirty. she reads recently written poems.
she talks about her week. her daughter visited during
memorial weekend. she wore an obama tee shirt

trish doesnt understand why. she was for hillary.
she doesnt care for her as a person. but bill clintons time
was one of peace and prosperity. that is what she wants.
" its what everybody wants " she says

she had been a journalist. travelled through and
worked in fourty five states. she insists obama will not
be elected " the manipulation is right out in the open.
everyone can feel it "

trish gets especially angry if rascism is claimed.
she says that after eight years of bush everyone can
clearly see the manipulation " that is what people
are going to vote against. the manipulation "