letting go to simply be
what I would be without this body?

I don’t feel as rigidly Quaker as I was
nor a hiker, much less camper
or any of the other identities

who am I to deserve this much?

Why do these old places
with false teeth
and pickled eggs matter?

Did Grandma ever take her black
thick-heeled shoes off
to wade in a cool stream?

Our people were all here
as stubborn peaceniks
well before the American

Revolution but have
ultimately stumbled away
mostly far from home.