letters, undelivered: dear dad

dear dad (on the occasions of your birthday and father’s day, 2017),

i wish i could sit with you today,

me on the Rollator

and

you in the La-Z-Boy Powerlift

the tv on golf

i wish i could sit with you today

and

tell you

happy birthdayfather’sday

and

that i got four new chickens, rhode island reds,

but

one of them didn’t make it the night

fox, i guess

you would ask about

the

garden

and

i would say everything is stunted this year

and

not even a second would pass

before

your

joke

don’t belittle your garden

and

maybe you would share a good one from the comics

or

a 1930’s E Street adventure

before falling asleep,

chin on your button-down shirt

it would be

my cue to slip out,

back to busy

i should have slowed down some years ago,

listened longer,

and

i wish i could see you today, dad

love,

kr