Poem from an email

Clueless Gary, one of Cole's Steelhead coaches, reserved a block of rooms at a Red Lion along the Columbia. He meant well, but after looking at the place, I thought: "No way." Outdoor pool, broken hot tub, the ruins of 1975. We found The Other Red Lion across town, pleasing and new. Daviau and other lambs'll tough it out in the dump, while we'll be set up like Kings of Siam. Four games in three days. Sunday determines 1st through 8th place. So much, so fast. It all ends at 1pm. Then the almost five hour drive home.

Neighbors

When I let Pepito out,
I saw Ben and Kim and
a number of helpers
loading two trailers with
all their possessions.
I saw Ben. He saw me.
We exchanged hellos.
Two hours later,
they drove away,
and I
haven't seen them
since.