The Reminder: A Bus Poem

A poem inspired by something I spotted on the bus the other evening. This is not a Valentine's Day poem.

THE REMINDER

In blue ink he wrote a reminder on his hand.
Not on his palm, where he might keep it concealed.
Not on the plump part below the thumb
where the ink would flow as if on vellum.
He wrote it on the top
( You might call it the back).
where the pen would have humped
over tendons and bones.
On the part of the hand where a tattoo would hurt.

He wrote: Rent Car.

Now he is riding the bus home
where he will look at his hand as he turns the key
where he will brace for her greeting:

Did you remember to rent the car?