April 2023
J. R. Solonche
jrsolonche@gmail.com
jrsolonche@gmail.com
Bio Note: Nominated for the National Book Award and nominated three times for the Pulitzer Prize, I am the author of 29 books of poetry, most recently Selected Poems 2002-2021, The Lost Notebook of Zhao Li, and It’s About Time.
The Roofer
He was on the roof. He said his cell phone is old. He said it does not take good pictures. He said he has four daughters. He said they all have new cell phones. I said I have one daughter. I said she also has a new cell phone. I said here’s my old flip-phone. I said it doesn’t take good pictures either. He said I don’t need a roof. He said my roof is fine. I said I don’t need a cell phone. I said my old phone is fine. He said he drinks vodka. I said I drink bourbon. He said he doesn’t like bourbon. I said I don’t like vodka. He said the roof is fine. He asked when it got done. I said I thought it had never been done. I said I thought it was thirty years old. He said he drank vodka. I said I don’t drink vodka. He said he has four daughters. I said that’s one more than Lear. He said he didn’t hear me. I said I didn’t say anything. He said his phone bill is astronomical. I said I’m happy to hear I don’t need a new roof. I said he could have said I need a new roof. I said I wouldn’t know any better. He said he doesn’t do shit like that. I said you have four daughters. I said you have an astronomical phone bill. I said that means putting four daughters through college. He said I’m a reputable roofer. I said thank you. He said I have four daughters. I said I have one daughter. He said to have a great weekend. I said that he should too. I said good luck with your daughters. He said you too.
©2023 J. R. Solonche
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