What Cannot Be Spoken Of

"Thank you for. . ." and the words

of the prayer from my father

end, fade there as he stands

across from me right hand

to my left shoulder connecting,

joining the two of us in some

accord that has not, cannot

mean utter agreement

because that's not how it is between

father and son:  there is always

the shadow of Solomon's Sword which

is used from time to time to separate

the dead from the living.

                                      The blessing --

which sometimes turns 

to the curse -- between father and son

cannot be given by the mother;

this is the blessing of the father

and I have received it, have

given it to my sons the words

fading right after "for."

-Byron Hoot