putting the final touches on a

last piece of a house I want to keep

after the past has been said goodbye to

Yawning after a long days work is done

in that bedroom I was first reading under a blanket

next to that was the room grandpa taught me poker

getting to first be with a girlfriend downstairs

coming home from the last track meet that year

opportunity to learn pool that summer and

maybe not hide my first beer while I hear grandma’s jokes

puppies being chosen for work on the farm

leaning forward to sun my back while using the lawnmower

inching quietly across the porch with a drink at sunset

chasing the butterfly or swinging on a rope

after dinner reading by the fireplace

treating myself to cherries and milk at midnight

every morning we discussed the teacher’s history

dedicated to the peace that comes with family

growing in many directions and many ways

awesome collection of the

mighty snowstorms that find us

eventually disappeared into the darkness of a den

soft edge past evolves into hard line future