On The Day After My Birthday

There were gifts I still wanted—
A couch for the porch where I could read,
A camera to take pictures of sunrise
And a certain person before she left me,
A recording I have not heard by Louis Armstrong,
And impossible things—
To walk on the boardwalk with Joanne or
Drive around with Joe and Freddie and Bob,
Eat spaghetti in clam sauce at Luigi's or
Sit in the clubhouse at the track with Al,
New books from Bill or Jon or Don or Steve,
Walk to the Square with Mike, play poker with Liam,
And finger the ribbon on the bow of eternity.