And The Taste Of Old Salt.... Poem by RIC BASTASA

noting that the venue
of the december reunion shall
be in Talim Island

(imagine the boat
and the breeze and
the usual cargoes of
basic necessities like
rice and noodles and
salt and sugar and
the chichirikas and

some spaghetti sause
and soap and laddles
and basins, notwithstanding
the underestimation of
the river foams and lilies)

i guess i must have been
spontaneous in saying,
with apologies to Norman,

originality-wise you will
love the smell of your roots
and the taste of old
salt....