FALL 2011



Laura Hirschfield

GENEROSITY

He drinks his martinis dry
with a shot of vermouth
in a wine glass packed
with ice. He spears
three olives
with a toothpick and pokes
the pick into the ice
crunching, stirring, splashing.
He asks if I want a sip.
I want the olives, I say
and he gives me all three,
the most generous man I know,
even now, after all the men
I’ve known. Some nights I swallow
the olives whole, eyes closed.
Some nights I suck the red
pimientos first, bring
a hollowed olive
to my eye,
view my father
through the soft green lens.
He looks small
sipping his drink. 

 



 

 


 

Poetrybay seeks fine poetry, reviews, commentary and essays without restriction in form or content, and reserves first electronic copyright to all work published. All rights to published work revert to the author following publication. All Email submissions should be in body of email text.

To submit poems write to:

PO Box 114 
Northport NY 11768
or email us at 
info@poetrybay.com

send comments to info@poetrybay.com

first electronic copyright 2004 poetrybay. 
all rights revert to authors

website comments to dpb@islandguide.com