Walmart Samadhi
by Steve Quirt

I saw my aunts and uncles at Walmart, and cousins too,
       all dressed-up in their town clothes and out shopping.

The uncles were big men, honest for the most part, and loyal to the family.
They wore plaid, and sometimes wide suspenders and some tattoos.

They liked tools and fishing and automobiles - especially trucks.
They have jobs at
       the farm supply store
            and the auto parts store.

My aunts and cousins were buying new school clothes.
The aunts were big, and their big purses jingled with love as they pushed their carts,
       flowered dresses flowing.
             Mostly they laughed and gossiped.

The cousins were everywhere,
       boys and girls
              and teenagers with cool hair cuts.
They clustered around the candy machine
        at the McDonald's stand.

The uncles ordered black coffee,
       and warm chocolate chip cookies for the cousins.
The Aunts ordered black tea with cream and sugar.
               Everybody was taking a break!

I saw my great Uncle Phil over near the fishing gear,
        just south of the Vision Center.
He was looking at fish hooks, and was in no hurry.
               His big hands went slowly over the fishing poles.

My cousin Ken and cousin Danny
          were looking along the Auto Parts aisles for little hula dolls
                  that would dance gently on the dash boards
                         of their Chevys and Fords,
to remind them of their girlfriends after they went off to war.

They wore white tee-shirts and indigo Levies
            and smoked Lucky Strike cigarettes.

Relatives began showing up from all over the earth,
           but nobody noticed since every body was having such a good time.
                         It got really crowded.
                         I really liked the tattoos.

Pretty soon there were so many relatives around that I lost track,
                       and just blended in.