Doodling

When the old man picking up his latte at the coffee shop  

proclaimed, It’s raining but not biblical portion monsoons, 

I know drivers will still struggle navigating these busy Long Beach

streets in which tires and intimacy aren’t compatible with  

slowing down and consequent traction. And when the 

 woman next to me tapped her foot in church throughout  

the service, I wondered if it was out of habit or her personal

stenography for Pastor Ruben’s words. If I had my own pulpit,  

I’d tell the parishioners, It actually ain’t how well we’re prepared

for the storms, but how much water we’re able to absorb. I admit  

I’m more accent chair than matchy-matchy living room set,

but Noah built the ark a hundred years before the flood,  

so is a play it safe sectional more secure than a blazing  

orange recliner that screams style AND life preserver?  

We buoy through our lives seeking our fix of caffeine or

1 Corinthians, and when the old man brought the hot 

coffee cup to his face and said, Let me see what I have for  

my doodle today, I wanted to peer over and look, too 

because even the simplest squiggles can help us stay

afloat in whatever sea we struggle to set our sails in.

Daniel Romo is the author of Bum Knees and Grieving Sunsets (FlowerSong Press 2023), Moonlighting as an Avalanche (Tebot Bach 2021), Apologies in Reverse (FutureCycle Press 2019), and other books. He received an MFA from Queens University of Charlotte, and he lives, writes, and rides his bikes in Long Beach, CA. More at www.danieljromo.com.