A Living, Breathing Aficionado

on most saturdays they found themselves

holed up in the rear of the local wine store with "uncle kirby",

sipping wine and listening to his stories of the grapes
and of their secret bottled messages.

she relished this time

because she had rarely met someone

who lived with such passion about his trade -
the obvious enthusiasm bubbling out of his speech
and tickling her ears.

"oh, you're gonna love this one," he enthused.

"it's full of bright plummy jam,

cherries that will knock your socks off, bro,

and a mineral finish that will have you on your knees,

begging for more."

in fact, he was so lively and bright

that she started carrying home

some of his kirbyisms

working up ways to use them in sentences
and musing at his reminder that it was possible
to lock into one's soul career.