photo from Guys & Dolls

 

Grandparents

preparing

to fly back home

to where they hang their hats

and bicycles.

 

To the crabapple tree

the straw people

the smooth river stones

steep stairs

blue room.

 

Their wall of us

feathered hairstyles,

outdated pairings.

 

Posters of shows

Grandpa has directed,

silos of grain

wood stacks

fireplace

braided rug

sixties wallpaper

shouting HAIR! and love.

 

And I’ve only a

small handful

of recording

with them

when I need at least 360.

 

How could I write

seriously about them,

their lives

history

bound-up in next visits

when

I need a whole summer everyday

for the rest of our lives.

 

Bread making

cheese nibbling

gin and tonics waiting

on conversations and moments

to set aside and sing.

 

Hearing about mechanics giving way to learning just how little

he was expected to obtain.

 

And Grandma, her dancing,

private practice,

pink jeans juxtaposed with casseroles and June Cleaver,

thinking, moving friends,

and her parents–

Nanny so smart

even a part of Mensa.

Her “tootaloo”.

 

Did you know she had poison ivy on her wedding

& didn’t even

sweat it.

 

Yep, I need more time

with these two.

More whistles

and songs

stories and hugs

for like FOREVER.

 

Are you away from Grandparents? Are they still alive, thank G-d? What makes or made time with them so gosh-darn special? You may have a poem lurking there! List five smells or items from their home–what images come to mind that you want to forever keep, take out, and savour?