
The Albums

Sunflowers would run to meet the sun Roots hold them back, they send their seeds
THE ALBUMS
Mother’s shrinkage was marked by domicile
House, apartment, retirement and nursing home
shedding at each move, furniture, china, and art
except for, and never, the old photo albums
heavy in padded leather brown and green
Each visit when conversation stuttered to a stall
(Religion all but Baptist drowned
and what use is weather without crops)
out would come the albums
and in we all would dive
for pennies
bright and shiny at the bottom of the pool
Here’s one from 1958
how young the queen looked then
THE AUSTRIAN UNCLES
Already old when I was young
revered as I would hope to be when old
Two brothers married to
two sisters of my father’s father
Great aunts
always as they’ve always been
busily bustling round the house
while the uncles somehow stay
both present and out of the way
Little china cups in work-hard hands
black coffee and home-brew
sipping the day away