your father is dying from a penny in his lung
delicate responses lost like     hi and no     after some tests
they found out he was breathing by squeezing air
in his fists     the penny moves     gives up his seat for a lady
your mother who asks in language that hurts     you tuck
your body into the night for sleeping     forgetting for that
crucial moment your father will not survive     you dream of gardens
your yellow birds & me     you sacrifice your weekend to the dream
it continues for two nights     animals come     and devour your old
photographs of you and him     your father in tomorrow's suit 
says something natural for his ears and eyes but not his mouth