He was five, his father died, & I was in Monterey
counting the dead walruses along the shores.
So we are both familiar with dying. Both with
fallen giants, many mighty felled giants.
Counting the dead walruses along the shore,
with a chocolate fudge lollipop staining my mouth,
amongst fallen giants, many mighty felled giants,
I was only half their size.
With a chocolate fudge ice-cream staining his mouth, yes,
I imagine we both stood the same way, afraid &
only half the size
of those walruses, of that grief, crushed under each.
I imagine we both stood the same way, afraid,
shivering against the same Bay wind, unable to lift
those walruses we would learn eventually to bear,
that year his father died, when we were both in Monterey.