1599B

Chris tells his dead father

the time of year

every single May

he says

“It’s May.”

and Ray

his dead father

says

“Oh. Good.”

I’m relieved

I’d spent years telling Chris

“Your father is dead”

and he never listened

plugged his ears and

and spun his propeller hat

while shaking his head no

until

I took Ray from the grave

sat him down at the breakfast table

and said

“Your father is fucking dead

you fucking idiot

and he needs to know

what month his anniversary is

with his damn dead wife.”

Chris perked right up

put on a sensible baseball cap

one that hides his bald spots

and said

“Don’t write a poem about

your dying grandfather.

You should call him.

Don’t have me talking to a corpse.”

yeah right

Chris