Old Man on the Bed

Kerry's father is dying.

While I sit writing at Creek Sister,
while Jommie sits in the woods reading.
While the creek hurries past.

One old man approaches the darkening,
looks up at his daughter to say what,
goodbye?

"Hold me,
open the door,
see, I have found what I was waiting for;

make my bed in a soft place,
in the back of the pickup;

take me to the mountains,
take me to a river,
take me out of the walls
of my life.



for Kerry



written 7/17/06

"Creek Sister" was a small log cabin on Christmas Creek,
off Edgewick, where I was working on a draft of a book.