REMEMBRANCE

The day my father died

You sought to embrace me,

But I pushed you away

As though something unclean

Had passed between us.

There was no grey

To the all-alone sky,

Just a loud blue

That commanded

Unnatural happiness.

I looked to the hills,
But they were broken-backed,
And could not be retuned.

The day my father died
Your hurt eyes spoke
Across the null-and-void,
But I had nothing left to give.

The teacups tinkled
With mindless laughter,
And the eyes of the clock
Were countersunk:

We passed a silent evening,
Shrieking with unspoken words.


Michael Newman