Daddy

Back from sixty I'm nine

Daddy's at the back door coughing that cough,

you know,

stopped short by wince of stretched stitches on a scar from recent repair

with my nine eyes I look up at him and ask my whys

tap tap tap on the pack face of a salty sailor

he answers while stained thumb and finger lifts to light a smoke muffling reply

wisping words spell 'I can't quit'

he spits untipped bits and takes another drag.


-- spell check edited version
Charles Phillips