Side Characters

Side Characters

Prone as we are to lose the line

in the suck and swirl of such deeps, 

I tell them that a story of this force 

begs you let certain names flow past 

like leaf-fall or bits of twig: the woman 

who fills the wine, the old friend 

of a father’s with a good horse, the inn-keep 

who fends away the night for a night. 

It’s not negligence, I say, and not 

that they’re not important, but keep 

in mind they’re here—know it 

or not—to keep the current moving 

to the ocean. It’s a long ways away, 

but if there’s a quiz they might be an option

but for sure won’t be the answer. 

We never finish by the bell. 

 

In their trickle into the eddy 

of the sophomore hall, one or two 

of them sees fit to say  “thanks, 

Mr. Harvey,” then disappears downstream 

before I can turn and catch who.