(for Dick Schmidt)

After he makes a day trip
with a friend to the coast
so she can walk on the beach

to clear her head and heart,
he returns with your favorite
crab sandwich from the place

next door to the place that
makes his favorite crab sammie,
and texts you on his way home,

“I have a crab sandwich for you.”
So you drive to his house
with jazz tunes bopping

around your brain after
an early evening show, and
there it is, your favorite

sammie, just for you, lovingly
encased in foil (just the
sandwich—he’s 86’d

the side of pickled carrots
you don’t love). And you are
once again so grateful for

this man, who gets you in
so many ways, who
demonstrates his deep

adoration (among other
ways) via sourdough
and crustacean,

which, on the first bite,
tingles your tastebuds
with yummy syncopation—

fascinating rhythm,
indeed.