Now and Then by Puma Perl

Now: Where are my glasses, where are my other glasses, I can’t find the house keys, did I leave them in the door, oh there they are, oh no, where are the car keys, they’re not on the hook, they’re not in my bag, I lost them, how do I replace them, wait, check the jacket, I feel them, ok that’s a relief, money, driver’s license, credit card, it might rain, I need my book, lock the door, ring for the elevator, forgot my lipstick, 13 flights, 2 doors, I didn’t know it was this windy, 2 doors, 13 flights, get scarf and hat, do I have enough money, yeah, 13 flights, 2 doors, did I lock the apartment door? should I go back up again?, where’s my phone, I think I lost it, no I have it, did I remember to charge it? what else did I forget?

Everything finally in order. I don’t even want to go anymore.

Then: Door slam locks behind me, down 5 flights, got the keys and some change, hair swings free.

Nothing matters, no destination, whatever I want may happen, whatever I need fits in my front pocket.

Puma Perl is a poet and writer, with five solo collections in print. The most recent is Birthdays Before and After (Beyond Baroque Books, 2019.) She is the producer/creator of Puma’s  Pandemonium, which brings spoken word together with rock and roll, and she performs regularly with her band Puma Perl and Friends. She’s received three New York Press Association awards in recognition of her journalism, and is the recipient of the 2016 Acker Award in the category of writing.

Photo, Dina Regine