My son and his girlfriend arrive for a visit. Can I fix you something to eat? I ask, listing the options. No, he says. We thought we’d catch a bite out somewhere. Great, I say. I’d love that. A missed beat. A sideways glance. Uh. Just us, he says. Ah.

Devon Balwit walks in all weather. Her most recent collections are Rubbing Shoulders with the Greats [Seven Kitchens Press 2020] and Dog-Walking in the Shadow of Pyongyang [Nixes Mate Books, 2021]. See more at https://pelapdx.wixsite.com/devonbalwitpoet.