a double drazzle for Susan
by
Becky S
Starlit night,
crisp,
cold.
Hoofbeats, late at night.
Made it, though –
Christmas Eve at
home.
Lonely sound on a special night.
How many
years? Seems a
lifetime.
Lonely house, lately, don’t know why.
There’s Cochise,
Buck, Chubb, even my
Sport.
The boys are here; safe, happy.
Tucked in warm
stalls; contented nickers.
But not all of them.
Dark room, lit by a
banked
fire.
How is he?
Nobody’s
here? Awful cold
tonight.
His letters say much, but little.
Wonder if Hop Sing
left any hot coffee.
Nothing to ease a father’s cold heart.
Can smell Pa’s
tobacco.
Why did I buy that book?
There’s the
checkerboard; wonder who’s winning?
He can get it more easily in
Good tree.
I’ll just have to mail it –
Bet Joe picked it,
made Hoss carry
it.
he probably already owns it.
Yep,
these presents will fit under the
tree.
Who’s downstairs? Warm slippers, robe.
One
for me? But they didn’t
know…
Chest tightens, eyes fill.
A
creak on the
stairs—
He looks so cold, so lonely; shivering, wondering…
I
just had a feeling,
son.
I just had a feeling, son.
I’m
warm enough
now.
I see the joy of summertime in his eyes.