Lakeside Park in Early Spring

Mark Nenadov

I've never had a better brunch with you 

at a Dutch restaurant than this one

where way too much food

was piled on three individual plates,

each plate being fit to be divided in half

and scarfed down with syrup

    and ketchup

and maybe a little shaved ham.

 

The person behind us seemed a bit cold

    and old

as she squinted into some newspaper

perhaps documenting a dreary council meeting

in this little lazy lakeside town.

 

We left with a bit too much in the gut sack

and pack back into the car

off to the barber

where you had to sit in a line

and the barber might 

    barb real fine

but the times have changed

and he says, "no sir, we don't do 

straight razor shaves anymore".

 

And before long we are leaving downtown

down to the water

at Lakeside park

the trees still stand bare

with flowers just starting to bloom

and enough sun to 

    dispel the gloom

and just enough fog everywhere

to restrict the zoom on my camera

and a dreamy duck edges along the rippled water.

 

This part of our day won't need a wallet, I imagine,

unless we stop for ice cream or something.

Well, I suppose

everyone has a right 

    to dream.