That Which Was and is Not by Steve Brisendine

Tempted
to hit the brakes –
but the hamburger joint
where Gary and I ate last March
has closed.

Not all
tombstones are hewn from granite, bear
chiseled names and lifespans;
some simply read
FOR RENT.



Steve Brisendine lives, works and remains unbeaten against the New York Times crossword puzzle in Mission, Kansas. His work has appeared in I-70 Review, Southern Quill, Modern Haiku and elsewhere, and he is the author of five collections of poetry. In his spare time, he tries to make himself seem far more interesting than he actually is.