Chino and Chambray by Donal Mahoney

Chino and Chambray
by
Donal Mahoney

Forty years older than I,

Charles, in his tweed cap, stands starched

in gray chino and blue chambray.

For more than a year his broad tie

has let the same iridescent duck

fly against a vermillion sky.

Like a Vatican Guard

he oversees the parking lot

I cut through each morning

far corner to far corner

as I cleave two triangles of cars

parked in my wake.

I ask him one morning,

“Charles, do you mind

when I cut through your lot?”

“Not at all, sir,” says Charles

as he stares straight ahead

and starts the windmill

of his good arm to lead

the pearl Hummer

now pulling in.

Donal Mahoney (1938 - 2017), the son of Irish immigrants, grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He later lived in St. Louis, Missouri. Donal spent the early ‘70s actively submitting poems to print journals and enjoyed some success. He then took a 35-year hiatus from poetry to work as an editor of prose at such lofty establishments as the Chicago Sun-Times, Loyola University Press, and Washington University in St. Louis. Upon retirement, Donal took to his recliner, and was perfectly happy reading and listening to Gregorian chant all day. After three years, however, his wife bought Donal a computer and showed him where the boxes of still-unpublished poems had been stored in the basement for many years. Thus Donal began actively submitting again in June 2008. See more of his work at http://booksonblog12.blogspot.com/.

LindaCrosfield:
Another Donal delight!
Posted 12/12/2013 02:22 AM

ed werstein:
A vivid, visual poem from one of my favorite poets. 'stands starched' and 'starts the windmill of his good arm.' Brilliant.
Posted 12/11/2013 12:30 PM

paradea:
What heart this beautiful poem has!!
Posted 12/11/2013 08:34 AM

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