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