180 degrees

As an old man I more or less get up at 4 a.m. these days. Decades ago, as a young man in my drinking days, I'd often hit the sack at 4 a.m. after closing Seafood Mama's at 2:30 and following the somewhat staggering flow of hungry drinkers to Quality Pie, an institution in those days, for breakfast before bed.

Turn, turn, turn.

The Bottom Line

lying in bed awake
at 3:17 a.m.
my wife's heavy breathing
the weight of the dog on my leg

I am visited by the ghosts
of past mistakes
and dance to a symphony
of regrets

I wouldn't change a thing

this is who I am
counting my blessings
in the dark morning

==Charles Deemer