an old writer and his words

  • IMAGINE

    I think it might have beena passionate love letterI wrote to you last weekbut never delivered although there is the remotepossibility it was justour grocery list, bothhave line breaks after all, but it does show whyI must remember to checkthe pockets of my jeansbefore I put them in the washer. So let’s agree that it…

    Lou Faber

  • ALL BAD REASONS

    She says I should watch the game,the team I have followed sincewell since before I can rememberwhen. I am puzzled by which of myexcuses I should use to explainwhy I will not watch this game orany. I could tell her that I am a jinx andmy watching will cause them to losealthough I do frequently…

    Lou Faber

  • TO PROTECT THE INNOCENT

    I am there, a classroom,elementary or middle school,Charleston, West Virginia1930’s, girls in proper skirts,saddle shoes, the old womanat the front of the room,first day of a new year. “Jones”, a hand goes up,“Murphy”, another rises slowly,“Padlibsky, what kindof name is that, Jew, orsome kind or Ruskie maybe?”A small voice answersLithuanian, ma’am. A scene that neverhappened,…

    Lou Faber

  • HEY TEACH

    She is long departed I imagine,and she would have had nomemory of me given the numberwho passed through her roomin the decades she stood impartingthe sort of knowledge that wassomehow tucked away, notforgotten, for it bubbled forthyears later, the aha moment. I could not forget her, whyperhaps she was a key to my passwords, the firstquestion…

    Lou Faber

  • A PERFECT STILLNESS

    You lie there, perfectly still,the morning breeze slides awayleaving the sun to stare down,and the birds fall into silence.  I gently touch the stone, feelyour cheek beneath my finger,see your face, the college yearbookphoto all that I have of you.  I speak silently to you, tellingof my sixty-seven years, of yourgrandsons and great grandchildrenand I…

    Lou Faber

  • SHADOW

    I want to be your shadow,and not in your shadow,but the shadow itself,so that I might be with you,often unnoticed, forgottenbut present in the lightof day and night. It is a closenessI deeply want, withoutintruding, a presenceyou have with you always,for that is what loverscrave in silence, something morefor which they dare not ask.

    Lou Faber

  • SEARCHING

    I never imagined thatthe search would take so longor be so difficult. I never imaginedI had set off seekingthe Holy Grail. It once was easyI recalled, little searchingand plentiful enough. Now, hours spentactually wasted, I concededthat it was futile and went back deepinto time to bring forthwhat I never imagined would be so hardto find,…

    Lou Faber

  • EASY, I SAID

    I had great plansfor the day, a simple project,easy install said the instructionsand an hour in, nothing working. Of course it was a weekendso I called for help andthe professional workedanother two hours beforeannouncing nothing doing. We concluded the productwas dead on arrival, as werethe plans I had madefor the bulk of thd day, but…

    Lou Faber

  • THE BARD OF BROOKLYN?

    If he were to appear here suddenlyI suspect Shakespeare wouldbe running a small theater groupin Brooklyn catering to an audiencedrawn mostly from the LGBTQcommunity, alternating productionsof gays and lesbians with Transand gender fluid having free choiceto reflect their true selves and notin the roles genetics cast them. If you asked him why, he’d saythat it…

    Lou Faber

  • A QUESTION OF TIMING

    Umberto Eco, I believe,intending to or not,has found the perfect wayto bring classic playsback to life, to enable usto reinterpret theseold works, to hold theirreincarnated selves dear. All you need do is decidewhether you are onewho prefers beginningsor finds ends more satisfying. Go see Hamlet, but missthe first act or so, and museon why he…

    Lou Faber