Lakeside in Spring

Lakeside in Spring

i'd walked
8 miles
then pulled my chair
out by the lake
and settled there
with 2 bottles
of beer

the kids
in the park
played
boats
on the water
floated
the sun
shined
and the clouds floated
perfectly

i finished
the second bottle of beer
feeling fine
fantasizing
about another
or
even better
a woman
around
who i could tell
how perfect
one more drink
and a single cigarette
in that moment 
would be

my ideal woman
of the moment
understanding
exactly
perfectly
wishing to deliver
that drink
and a smoke
a second helping
of bliss
so that
sooner or later
i might deliver her
a piece of perfection too
in a held hand
a consoling word
or a slice of pie
exactly when
she'd want
or need it
most

sometimes
i fantasize
that the essence
of love
isn't 
understanding
another one's soul
it's knowing
exactly 
when
and why
another beer
and a cigarette
is the perfect thing
for the one
you love
and simply
very, very simply
wishing to return
anything
as simple