Lingual Diversity
Carl Palmer
We share the bench
at a neighborhood park
by the court house,
watch children play.
He says something, points
to a running, laughing boy,
probably his son,
about the same age
as my daughter,
also running and laughing.
I nod and smile.
I point toward my little girl,
say the same thing in English
he most likely said
in his language.
He nods and smiles.
Like our children’s laughter
we require no translation.
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Carl “Papa” Palmer of Old Mill Road in Ridgeway, Virginia, lives in University Place, Washington.
He is retired from the military and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) enjoying life as “Papa”
to his grand descendants and being a Franciscan Hospice volunteer.
Carl is a Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net and Micro Award nominee.
MOTTO: Long Weekends Forever!
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