mmmdccxlvi

Stan of the Glistening Winds

          I’d like to introduce you to a sense of joy
                                   —Edmund Berrigan

Dear Edmund,

were you not in The Chronicles of Narnia,
like, and not as the good guy? That’s a
joke. And don’t you go by Eddie normally?
That not a creepy juxtaposition or anything.

Sorry. My name is Del and I would like
to introduce you to some asteroids, even
though I almost stole that line from you
and have spent the last twenty-five minutes

trying to find it the first time because
I could have sworn I’d read it earlier
in this mustard-colored tome (tbh,
it could be my mustard, unless mus

turd generically belongs to us all) (btw,
this happens on occasion, I’ll pick up
one of the books I’ve been reading
and the bookmark is dozens of pages

behind where I am; I’ll often read each
of those pages thinking I’m doing so
for the very first time, which says a
thing or two about myself that gives me

mixed feelings). Dear Eddie, we may
have met one or two times before, but
you don’t know me. Yet as I begin to
get to know you better, it becomes clear

that you’ve had a few profound experien
ces, and I’m here to tell you. Boy, am
I here to tell you. As far as profundity
goes, I guess that what I’m attempting

to express is gratitude. To you and yours.
Your words have me wishing to know you
even more while also making me feel much
better about not knowing much of anything.

Also, there are fantasies of substitute families,
being misplaced at birth, substituting the pages
of a book for people that are either long gone or
never existed, which sounds more like an illness,

that one. But kindred spirits is what I’d stress,
express; a tenacity, a pensive and whiplash bold
ness, a vulnerability, a slightly more than vague
and hopeful understanding, a tense and tenuous

but very real relationship to reality, and so much
more. All of which has me up early to send a big
bunch of thanks, a gratitude from deep within,
from places that I either didn’t know ever

existed, or else thought I’d lost forever. I mean
to say that I’m thankful for you, Eddie, your
family, mustard (in general), all of the Asteroids
(I’m so glad you introduced me to them), for this

Monday morning case of I feel ya, man.  That is,
in essence, all I’m trying to do here. Not to be
creepy, I hope—there’s already too much of that 

going around these days, but just to celebrate, in

virtual camaraderie. That’s pretty much it. Let’s
do this again sometimes, perhaps? Which, I guess
also means please keep writing and sharing. And
keep your worries at bay and your joy as close

to your heart as you can carry it. Yep. I think
that’s about it. I’ll be signing off now.

peas&lub,
dx