Mrs. Teabody Honors her Father
The following poems were written during the final year of my father's life. How I wish you all could have met him. I love and miss you, Dad! A Trio of Poems for my Father 1 Look how small I am. Soon I will fit in a suitcase Look at my alabaster skin Soon I will be transparent Look at my wispy white hair Soon my pate will gleam Look at my ruined skin My poorly-drawn blood blotches Look at my . . . Hands like scurrying rabbits . . . Like chasing rodents . . . Like vices What do hands do? What in God’s name do hands that always did . . . do? When there is nothing to do but: - grab at the air for another part that’s come undone - grab the rail and dream of ships and hay wagon hitches and motorcycles and levers - grab the knees and dream of plunging into a summer stream -- the shock of cold water heart-stopping - grab invisible food and dream of hotdogs with mustard and onions - grab offered hands and dream o...