The Seam

Father, you are too close to the dead.

For you, the seam between this world

and the next is so thin you could

easily slip your hand between the threads

and understand eternity.

You surround yourself with people

who hold hands with death every day

and when he pulls them over you say

another gone to that country I know

and its siren quiet and calm.

Your gray blue eyes are always looking

at you from behind their faces

so you extend your hand to them and say,

welcome to the club sir. I see you are drowning

and want to catch a little breath.