"Grandfather"
Johann Frederich Wilhelm fell
in the autumn of his sixty seventh year,
but only after the chores were done,
and the evening light hung with his leather
back brace in the barn.
The colour past peak, curled into mud
paste on the ground. A rain-wet red maple
leaf stuck to his cheek, instead of the slap
no one dared to give.
He gasped, frothed.
Beside the harness for a horse sold
forty years before, his brace with bridle
hooks and snaps, a twisted snaffle to smite
hard mouths, reins and straps turned rusty
with red mold-stiffened in neatsfoot oil.
Steel nails suspended no grudge or complaint.
Dusty restraints
waited for another back to buckle
till the barn fell down.
© 2007 Sue Kay
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