Let My Fingers Do the Walking
new phone book showed up today
in a plastic bag by the front door
they must have dropped it off
while I was at work and
maybe
it was how I was feeling
or something
because
I took the book inside
decided I’d look for love
but all I could find
were listings for livestock
loans and locksmiths
lubricating devices
luggage repair
and several places
relating to lumber
what about happiness
I found handyman
hardware
there was one listing for hats
and several pages of healthcare plans
I thought about hope
surely
it would yield some results
I started with home
and then I went to
things about horses
when I got to hospitals
I gave up
—James Babbs, Stanford, IL
