Taken by my sister just before fleeing the San Jacinto Mountain fire west of Palm Springs

I’M EMBARRASED TO ADMIT

What we watch or wallow in is all that we can share. 

Anything else is dream stuff.  Is air.

         -Miller Williams (from the poem "Before")

But there I was sitting on a

public throne reading a Miller
Williams poem about an old friend
with the unusual aptitude for
shadow puppetry against a lighted
wall.  But years later at a party,
the audience eagerly awaiting, his
rabbit had one ear, the elephant
looked like a cow.  Miller saying
Jesus Christ what happened! 

Paper poem falling to the floor as

a crack of laughter convulsed
through me, ending in choked
suppression, as I heard the man in
the next stall sigh and say  
Jesus Christ are you alright?