Flickering light

Charlie was a working man

retired from the city

married late in life

had three young children and a wife

he did odd jobs for me to pay his rent

—

His kids liked to play

outside under a street light

the light began to flicker

he climbed the pole to fix it

fell and broke his neck

—

On the way to the hospital

he died in the backseat of his car

his twelve year old at the wheel

they asked me to be a pallbearer

I wore my suit and tie

—

After the funeral, I bought lunch

rented a truck for their move to Tennessee

last night, under a flickering street light

I remembered Charlie and

how he loved his kids and wife

2-5-20