Poems · Published Poems

Last Year of His Life

The Last Year of His Life

My brother and I clean out Dad’s room

at the assisted living facility.

Six bags full of

 paper: shopping lists, letters

magazines: Physics, Science

receipts: utility bills, credit card

I use a few bags to cover framed photos

to take home. Mt. Denali, the pileated

woodpecker picture I gave him for Christmas.

In a black lawn bag, we stuff

the suit he wore to Mom’s memorial,

sweat pants, his khakis, shirts, items

we thought Goodwill could use.        

                                                The Maynard

                                                            4/2014