Valley Voices

Stuffed Pastries

It doesn't seem linear, this transit to nearly 70,

I am as old as the friends of my great grandmother,

bosomy flowery perfumed stuffed pastries,

calling out for a hug.

I ran from

as if they might capture vital particles of joy

or fatten the sleekness of my limbs.

Now I understand their summoning,

merely seeking commingling

of their spirits which were not pastries,

but vigorous still

and wanting out.

It was an accomplished group of readers and an entertaining afternoon! I must say, I enjoyed it! Stories by Lucy Adams, Tom McGohey, KT Torrey and Rob Neukirch were particularly fine. Rob's story had us all in stitches; New Floyd in the form of a middle aged massage therapist meets Old Floyd in the form of middle aged suppressed farmers wife. I liked Lucy's story of a high school boy trying to change the trajectory of a development and to honor the memory of his mother. And KT's story of a gay couple was very interesting and i thought masterfully done. Tom's was a literary description of bystanders at the death of a dog on the side of the road.