L Milton Hankins | + Follow Poet |
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Random Statistics

Violent thunderstorms sweep along the Ohio valley 
From west to east against the river’s flow 
Frequently during early April, May, and June 
Nothing better to do, I religiously record the tally. 

You notice the elderly are inclined to the mundane, 
Enjoy repetitious tasks the young find utterly banal? 
Sometimes they laugh and question, ask me what’s 
So compelling about the recurring springtime rain? 

And why one would keep old diaries full of stats 
Predicting the number of annual inches of rainfall? 
How many floods expected over the next ten years? 
Hey, a neighbor tabulates the number of feral cats
Roaming our neighborhood in search of meals. 
An elderly lady knows when everyone comes and goes, 
Who works where, and when someone is sick-- 
Even how this or that nasty surgical procedure feels. 

There is something reassuring about the repetition 
Of a random number of inconsequential facts 
At one’s fingertips, irrelevant conversation starters, 
Notoriety for wagering, or, making a proposition. 

For some it is a feeling of worth, of self-importance 
Having some information no one would dare dispute 
Because it is hard data written down in little books,
A product of aging, retiring, life’s natural circumstance.

Copyright © L Milton Hankins | Year Posted 2021

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Caren Krutsinger Date: 3/31/2021 7:59:00 PM I also know this woman. "An elderly lady knows when everyone comes and goes, Who works where, and when someone is sick-- " You have described her well. Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 3/31/2021 8:00:00 PM Isn't there one in every neighborhood?

Carolyn Devonshire Date: 3/26/2021 10:35:00 AM Perhaps your records will help you write your own Farmers' Almanac, Milton. Weather patterns are always interesting, though I wouldn't try to count feral cats or spy on neighbors. The isolation of the past year has led us to some interesting undertakings! Great observations, Milton! Best wishes, Carolyn Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 3/31/2021 8:02:00 PM Oh my, that was long ago. I haven't published a short story in ages...after my book of short stories came out on Amazon. I look young? Good genes, and that's an old picture. It was the only one I had in the file. Aunt Alice was a real trip! Carolyn Devonshire Date: 3/26/2021 2:10:00 PM You look young, Milton, so you must be living right. I had a wild aunt too and enjoyed writing about her. I hope you can pen a poem about Aunt Alice. Congrats on having your short story published! L Milton Hankins Date: 3/26/2021 11:06:00 AM Thanks, Carolyn. My Great-Aunt Alice kept spyglasses next to her living room window. She was the source of some pretty amazing gossip! One of these days I'm going to write a poem about Alice. I wrote a short story that was published about her last days. We older folks are a fine source of literary material!

Judy Ball Date: 3/26/2021 9:56:00 AM Hmmmm never noticed before how interested I am in things that others find mundane. You're certainly right. My kids would rather talk to me than listen to me. Guess I'm not that interesting anymore. Oh well, at least I've still got my looks. lol Great write here Milton. God Bless, JB Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 3/26/2021 11:04:00 AM Thanks for the read, Judy. So, when are you going to grace us with an avatar??? Considering your poetry, I can't think that you are "no longer interesting."

Richard Lamoureux Date: 3/26/2021 7:54:00 AM God is also partial to repetition, all we have to do is look at the flowers. If we look close enough we will see that no two are truly the same. I guess only those who look closely at random statistics will recognize that they are not really so random after all. Everything is connected. We just have trouble seeing the patterns. Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 3/26/2021 9:16:00 AM True, Richard. Thanks so much for the read and your comment. And I think, too, that "random" is not always "random," but can be unexpected repeats! Eh?

David Kavanagh Date: 3/26/2021 3:31:00 AM Heya Milton, I think all these mundane interests and statistics we like to jot down, are of a dying breed, computer chips and memory sticks, are the tools for the new generations, but that’s not important, it’s the pleasure we get from documenting our own observations, that counts, a really good poem I enjoyed reading, cheers David Login to Reply L Milton Hankins Date: 3/26/2021 9:15:00 AM Hey, thanks David. I agree with you wholeheartedly; however, I have not resorted to computer memory sticks...yet! I appreciated your read and your comment.