Dear Tom:

names are openings in the present
and the past
that i don't know what name i'd choose
if i had the chance to

i am attracted to names fancy and not
that influences my reading
for we are what we are called
but we have our private names too

that i recall a gary larson cartoon
whereby the reader learns
the real names of dogs
for example, napoleon the cat-killer

rather than rufus the hound
given by his owners
and who owns names anyway
i'm only borrowing lopez for now

and so let us live into language
and when it is time die into it too
from senor pez to m bucket
lots of love

yr friend in this life and art,

richard