A Moment or Two

The first couple sips 
of coffee
in 
the
early hours
of 
the 
morning workweek,
...
I want this moment.

When my breathe
touches the outside air 
in 
the 
coldness
of 
winter
and
I can see my soul
with
each exhale.

The crunch I hear 
as 
I tread upon 
the 
trees' shedded clothes,
the 
fallen leaves
and
stray branches
and
pinecones,
October decor,
and 
the
coolness of 
the
morning
as
the 
grass slowly dies 
and 
takes a break 
from
summertime haircuts,
...
I want this moment.

Smelling gasoline
as
I pump it 
into
my car.

Going 
to 
the 
nearby bay 
and
watching a boat go by 
and
waiting 
for 
his wake to wash 
the 
rocks 
that 
I stand above 
on 
a 
low level pier,
and 
the 
sound it makes
when 
the moment 
baptizes my ears -
...
I want it.

Then comes the rush
and I let it.

Hearing 
a 
child laugh.

When you're outside 
and
a 
hot sun passes behind 
a 
thick gray cloud.

Standing
in
the
rain.

Coming across discounted,
managers special meat 
at 
the 
grocery store.

The smell
of 
Baslam Fir
all year long. 

When your steak is cooked
to 
perfection
and
does not require sauce.

A cold lipped kiss 
on 
a 
warm cheek.
 
A campfire 
that
dances orange warmness
in 
the 
middle 
of 
a 
perfect night.

A clear sky full 
of 
stars 
and 
a 
bright moon.

A peaceful sunrise.

A picturesque sunset.

Reaching your hand inside
a 
Starburst bag
and
pulling out a red one
on 
your first try
and
feeling like you have just won 
a 
prize 
on 
a 
gameshow - 
...
I want these moments.

I rub my forehead.
The nostalgia continues.

Hearing
or
experiencing good news.

Bad news 
that 
is solved easily.

Going home 
and 
knowing you are getting closer 
and 
closer to your family 
and,
knowing,
that 
everyone is going to be together 
for
a day or two.

Visiting a new restaurant
or
an old restaurant 
that 
still serves 
that 
same familiar taste.

Hearing your lover's 
sound effects 
as 
they take a shower 
in 
the 
room next to yours.

Lukewarm French fries 
that
you do not have 
to wait 
for them 
to cool
and 
eat.

A recently cleaned windshield.

A foot massage
with
lotion.

Receiving 
a 
compliment
on 
a 
Monday
or 
giving out one
that 
someone needs...
...
I want these moments and more.
I want them to stop,
but, then again, I do not.
What kind of struggle is this,
if it is one to begin with?

Grandma's warm flour bread
paired 
with 
molasses.

The scent 
of 
Grandpa's Old Spice cologne.

Knowing 
a 
weird, Southern cliche
then
sharing it 
with 
a Northerner
and
admiring their confusion.

As
a
kid,
watching my dad 
and 
his buddies clean 
and 
filet freshly caught flounder 
and 
speckled trout
after 
gigging, casting, and trolling
in 
the
months 
of 
summer
and
the stench
that
would turn into 
a
fried delight
on
a 
Saturday night of their choosing
when
them
and 
their friends would gather 
to
eat 
and 
enjoy their hard work. 

The smell 
of 
cooked bacon
and
how it lingers throughout the day.

The way a cigarette used to hit
while 
riding in a car,
or 
taking a work break,
or 
after your first sip of coffee,
or 
after eating a big meal,
or 
after drinking a tall, foamy pint. 

I had these moments
and I want them back
and I guess it's okay that
I encounter some of them
more than once while
others avoid me 
for as long as they can.

When I put my headphones on
and 
listen to music
and
the way it sounds 
to 
my ears
and
being near a friend
and
taking my headphones off
and
putting them 
on 
their ears
so they can experience 
the sound like I did
and
then 
they start bobbing their head
to 
my newfound jam
and
the smile
that
slowly crosses their face
as 
we make eye contact - 
...
there's a moment.
I want it.
Right now!
No questions!

...

The way snow looks 
while
it is falling 
and 
slowly coating
everything it touches
or 
the way a marshmallow flattens
after 
you roast it 
and 
push it between two graham crackers.

...

Can I stay here 
and slow it down
for a moment or two?

...

The way unclothed skin
looks 
in 
darkness
or
the sensation your tongue
feels 
when 
freshly popped popcorn
touches it.

...
...

The moment...
of 
triumph,
or 
defeat,
of 
climax,
or 
staleness,
of 
happiness,
or 
sadness,
of 
reflection,
or 
anger,
of 
beauty,
or 
disgust
of 
manifestation,
or 
release of a dying dream
or
a hazardous relationship
or
looking into the mirror
for
a 
minute or two
and
being proud of that reflection...
...

...
these moments flaunt me
and
lure me
and
captivate me
and 
I appreciate every moment
for 
what they were
and
the waypoint they put
inside my brain,
some I willingly choose 
to 
revisit 
while
others I file away
and
slowly ignore
and
forget over time.

...

So many moments
to experience once,
twice if I'm lucky,
and only one lifetime
to supposedly live.

...

So many...
...
that it almost doesn't
seem fair.

...

The moment...
...
...
I want them all until...
...
... well,
...
until 
I finally 
become 
one myself.

...
The moment
of 
a
moment
of
when
a 
moment
becomes
a 
memory...
...

...
the beauty
of
when you
finally 
realize
the
one simple truth
we all chase
from
day to day...

...
that 
realization 
being...
...

...
well...

...
you know...

...