.
have you ever had someone coming
you wanted to impress too much
a guest who had you running
to wash scrub and vacuum
up the place
until you could see clearly
what an awful mess of squalor
you really live in

someone coming
who had you aware of spotted rugs
and torn upholstery
and dishes that were chipped
and didn't match — scratched tables

someone coming
who had you angry at the kids
for ancient crayon marks
and beebee holes
who had you out picking up a yard
that could have been a garden
cursing weeds
that should have been a lawn

someone coming
who had you hating yourself
and that cramped ugly little kitchen
where your weeping sullen wife
is banging pots and pans around
burning a tasteless dinner
that will go with the cheap wine
she says
her cheap husband bought

have you ever let someone
who hadn't even arrived yet
rob you of all your magic...
then later in the evening
had a sunset happen
that made you feel ashamed?

well that makes two of us
+++.
.

..........AFTERWORD — "In three days the guests are coming."
..........In our early, married years, both my wife Billie Barbara and I went a little crazy when outsiders were invited to visit. I was bad— embarrassed by all the yard clutter and accumulated junk my job being to make the yard look presentable which was no small task! But three days before the dinner party or when the overnight guests were due to arrive Billie became a cleaning Whirling Dervish! All the expected sweeping, mopping and vacuuming were done two or three times. And she didn't stop there: she even had to dust the tops of all the doors and she always chose this cleaning period to refinish the chest of drawers that she had been putting off. We drove ourselves, and each other, nuts at the mere thought of someone coming. I'd tell her that these dear people are coming to see us not inspect the house. This behavior went on until about 10 years ago. Things changed when I was diagnosed with incurable prostate cancer. The kitchen that is under the living room is no longer used and the tower bedroom gathers dust and collects stuff we should but can't throw away. We live on one level these days.
..........When folks want to visit now we tell them to meet us at Rocky Point Restaurant, which is the only commercial establishment between Carmel Highlands and Big Sur proper. It is about 400 yards North of Palo Colorado Road, up which we live. We can leave our house and be at Rocky Point in about 12 minutes. We live like old people now. And the part of the house we live in looks like a hovel. But Rocky Point is grand and has become our reception area.

ANOUNCEMENT!

..........A biography of my life has just been completed by Steve Edington who has written two books about Jack Kerouac so I am in good company. Didn't even have to die before I was written about and I got to correct any inaccuracies. Steve has used a lot of my poetry all through the book and the FOREWORD was written by the actress Ruby Dee an old friend of mine. If interested in my life and ministry —