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KEEPER OF THE LIGHT
I. Zippo
Dispirited world of charmlessly efficient Bics,
Behold the beautiful basic Zippo,
An unashamed, good, generous, machine.
Hear the lid being opened.
Smell the heady aroma of the fuel vapors.
See soft blue, yellow, billow in flame.
Flawless blend of art and utility!
Smoking enters the modern age. Lighting
filterless Pall Malls, Lucky Strikes, Chesterfields,
Camels. Stainless steel evocative of power
with no equal. "Here's looking at you, kid."
Boggie says as he flips back the lid, thumbs the
dial, draws, and inhales.
II. Flick My Bic Or You Light Up My Life
Pietr, I have been so curious about the lighter, I said. Is it a Zippo?
Maybe so. I don't know. It is the lighter of my youth.
How can that be? That was the lighter of my Dad's generation. GI issue, World War II.
In Poland, we are 15 years behind... in everything.
You mean, you never asked anyone to 'Flick my Bic?'
I don't know what you mean.
The disposable lighter of the seventies. The Bic. The only one that exists today.
No , these lighters, we refilled. They lasted a lifetime.
I remember the wicks and lighter fluid my Dad put in his Zippo.
Kept it going.
Gasoline. We just filled them with gasoline. No wicks. Just use pieces of rags. Works as well.
Makes one want a Turkish cigarette now. No?
This explains a lot of things, your being from Poland. The old lighter. How you spell your name.
You wouldn't even remember if it was Olivia Newton John who sang,
"You light Up My Life," would you?
III. When I Smoked
When I smoked,
I was sexier,
had nice calves,
believed I was blond,
glamorous, tall, invincible.
When I quit, I had chronic
bronchitis, ate two pounds of
carrots a day until I turned orange.
Began chewing cloves, Began
spitting cloves, Craved chocolate;
caffeine, sugar. Played scrabble with
friends to pass the time. Learned
Xenia is 39 points on a triple word score.
Learned about one day at a time and survived.
Prayer definitely became an option. I acquired
a part-time position turning on and off
church lights before and after sermons. I
named this duty, "Keeper of the Light."
This was a euphemism for 'poet.' I need lots
of time in the dark with my God to order my world.
The Zippo lighter I carry is imbedded in my heart.
Shining always on the higher command,
"Let there be light."
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