the visit

my grandfather stopped by for a visit today
which all in all was rather strange
seeing he’s been gone close to thirty years
without a word from the other side
recognition was almost immediate
guess the dead have given up aging
his hair, steel gray in color
was as always nothing but stubble
his nose and ears were just as big
guess my memory did not exaggerate
strong eyes, a warm smile
it was the face remembered from my youth
he wore a long sleeve shirt, plain in color
with matches and a pack of Camels
hidden in his right breast pocket
off the rack work pants, held up
with a plain black leather belt
and cuffs that filled with fresh cut grass
each time he mowed the yard
he had knuckles the size of marbles
hands tougher than an elephants hide
his shoes were basic slip-ons
except for those he wore to mass
I sensed his eyes upon me
as I cleaned and replaced each brick
wondering what had brought him here
was he a portent of good or bad
no answers were forthcoming
as he was always the stoic one
never speaking just to hear himself
he placed value on every word

so I toiled away with the sun on my back
sweat forming rivers along the spine
he sat there savoring a camel
comfortable within himself
which brought me back some forty years
to the days he spent in his garden
awed by the peace he seemed to find
with gloved fingers burrowing through the earth
his every movement was a dusty ballet
each weed was pulled with rhythm
rocks were cleaned and replaced
than with ease he moved down the line

a breeze came up and brought me back
from the peace of memory lane
my hands covered in fresh turned earth
so similar to long ago
than it dawned on me the reason
for granddads midday visit
instead of working in the moment
I sailed a sea of distraction
my mind was louder than a babbling brook
no acknowledgement of the here and now
trying to solve a world of problems
ignoring the business at hand

without turning I sensed his confirmation
and his pride in my understanding
than with a whispered job well done
he floated off on the evening breeze