AL'S DINER: CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE

by Earl J. Wilcox


In a quiet back
corner alcove
of the diner
four friends
swap news and views,
smile knowingly
about family foibles,
faces lit with fervor
in exchanging
political wit worth
a pound of gold
in today’s market.

Nearby, two ladies
pantomime prattle
from time to time,
eyes arch eagerly
at each tidy
crumb their ears
pick up about
their tea party
pals out and about
stirring the pot,
feeding on
fear frenzy.


Earl J. Wilcox writes about aging, baseball, literary icons, politics, and southern culture. His work appears in more than two dozen journals; he is a regular contributor to The New Verse News. More of Earl's poetry appears at his blog, Writing by Earl.
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