I sliced the yellow onion
into rings the red bell pepper into strips
marinated the chuck in garlic
even watched a youtube video to make sure
I hadn’t missed anything
these days I’ve forgotten how to cook meat
the salad I’d stretch with tomatoes
hoping we’d sit outside on chairs
looking at the willow trees
wanting to tell you how I hope your truck
will start in the morning and how you’ll
have enough money to pay your bills
and how I wish you were able to laugh more
but mostly after years of not sitting
at the same table my heart is a beach ball
bouncing on green grass.