1944
(A Poem for My Grandfather)
My Grandfather had a big Zenith radio
and held me on his lap
as I fell asleep... listening
to reports of a war.
At night
the shades were drawn
... lights went out... and
I wanted to ask him
'What is a War?'... Grampa?
... but I didn't.
One day back then
I was in the garden digging dandelions
and wading in mud puddles left by a summer rain.
A brown car stopped across the street
and two soldiers went to the door.
Grampa went there
and I stood in the garden
hearing people crying
and seeing.my grandfather in tears
holding a lady close to him.
The Soldiers went away
and my grandmother helped grandpa
... back into the house.
The sun was setting and I was playing in the garden.
Playing in the mud puddles and dandelion dreams.
I had a stick for a rifle
and Grampa came out to bring me in.
I told him I wanted to be a soldier.
He grabbed me and held me
and he started crying again.
There was a war somewhere
... That day,
... in 1944.