matoes

This is the sort of email a married couple made up of English professors send each other– specifically, my literary wife to me Wednesday. In this poem/note, “man cave” refers to the basement, which also serves as my sprawling office/headquarters. “Electric guitar” is an item I often add to lists Annette is putting together, inspired by some friends from the past who used to do something similar.

matoes

This is just to say
that I have taken the last
can of tomatoes.

They were sitting,
inexplicably,
atop a pile of paper
on the ping-pong table
in your man cave.

You were perhaps
saving them for dinner tonight,
or reminding yourself
to make a shopping list:

tomatoes,
milk,
electric guitar . . .

And yes, finally, yes
a Costco trip is in order.
Perhaps
this Saturday.