visited.
My Dad visited me last night
He sat by my side until my eyes opened
I haven't seen him in years
It was dark, but I'm sure it was him
He spoke, but I don't remember his voice
last time he was this close to me, I was four.
His eyes shone in the dark
does he have blue eyes like me? I wonder
Does he have all his teeth?
Rows of white gleamed in the absence of light
I remember there was a crack in his living room floor
we'd put pennies in it and laugh
this memory for my mum is sore
"those pennies are the only money he ever bothered to give you"
he had a hamster when I was wee
I can't remember how it looked or it's name, for the life of me
it'd run around the house in a plastic ball
he took good care of it - so what changed?
I ask him these questions in the twilight of night
when the street light outside outlines - him sitting there,
he never speaks or gives me answers, and I never ask
despite his mouth full of however many teeth
silence is all that is kept between