Between here
	and a wind-tossed tear-soaked red-cheeked
			mother
with a funerary urn
	is ten years of forgotten birthdays
ten little celebrations of an individual's triumph
		over another year.

Each candle since
		is left burning
	because the birthday boy
		decided to forgo these occasions
and freed us from having - to plan
			to prepare
				or remember
				to commemorate
		the birth of a man
			with
				2 daughters					and sons
				and grand sons
			who would be celebrating his birthday
					the day after
							- tomorrow.

poetry | dad | life

justin's links by justin hall: contact