The Wonder Will Be
for a friend, on his birthday
There were how many days
looking past the boy and just stared until
he lifted his head
straight into me
and he
dropped his hand from the fence
and stood still
telling me he would stay
if just a nod or a second glance
allowed
him passage
Come here
you come here
can you cook
The smile that crept from his eyes
past his mouth
and into his chest
was all the answer
I will
ever need
Here yes here
we need these greens
to be
picked and cleaned and cleaned
and cleaned
no grit
none nowhere and not
none on you
neither
The smile again
Well I thought
hadn’t been none for some years
somebody is always hungry around
here and I always got the fixins’
The wonder will be
how long he will stay
and
his steady hand
bowed head
and the hum he’s sending down
past his hands
says
I need to make room
again
at last
and finally
-- 2020
