he called one day out of the blue 
now it's bingo every tuesday at the legion hall 
and sundays after church service 
they drive to cedar rapids for brunch 
then west 
towards keystone 
the steep cemetery on the hill 
where her Richard is buried
then further north 
down a twisting gravel road
along the iowa river 
past marengo 
a spot overlooking 
an eagle's nest 
where he and Edna 
took picnics for 
forty three years before she 
went dust last august 
and he buried 
a fistful of her right 
there along with 
that norway 
spruce