Wake

I wake before dawn
The pine tree black lit from
Behind by an pinkorange sky
Putting on my clothes then my
Left prosthetic boot, taking
Pills, putting on my right
Lower leg, shaving, and
Prep to feeding both
Cats and the dog.
Beni the cat tries
To eat the dog’s
Food but Rosie
The red dog
Arrives to
Claim
Her
Breakfast,
I drive to Swamis
Cafe to sip cups of
Tea as I read history
Letting Carol sleep late
After so many decades up
Early to go play professor.
Often the motorcycle
Officers ask me to sit
With them as they
Breakfast after
Which I urge
Them to be
Careful out
There then
I read and
After awhile
Return to home
Glancing at the surf
Pounding the beach far
Below the ridges. I drive as
The sun lights up the inland
Mountains still with a bit of snow
But here in Encinitas, though I
Wear a sweater to the cafe,
I am in my blue T-shirt on
The way home to join in
The day’s errands and
Tasks to keep a house
Running since at our
Age it takes two to
Make one fully
Functioning
Individual
Capable
As our
Memory
Of ourselves.