Jeff
these days
your dad
is spending
his nights
away from home
in a room
not his own
and even
in the loss
the disarray
he searches
for an opening
down the winding path
for his cabin on the hill
where he was happy
to be
him and granny e
happy to be
warm in the sunlight
wrapped in the moonlight
at the end of the pier
the fish are biting
pulling on the lines
the grill’s bout ready
for the chicken
the sides are all done
ice in the cooler
sweet tea in the container
a lemon pie in the frig
homemade ice cream cranked
watermelon cut up and cold
crickets going crazy
can’t smell the gardenias
for the citronella
all the ashtrays are full
and every star is out
winking at the moon
the trolling motor
drawing near
and somebody just
pulled in and got out
the screen door bangs open
and shut
like the fireflies
that light it up
on the Fourth of July
TL