the bare essentials

he didn't say much

anymore. not that he didn't have
a lot to say.

but he'd said most of it already.
why repeat yourself.

his face had
been carved down
to the bare essentials.

his ice blue
eyes now smaller in the construct
of his
face.

he sat, he rocked.
he looked out from the old porch
with it's
rotted
boards

and bird nests stuffed
into the upper corners.

people waved when passing by,
tilted
their heads, their caps.

children laughed at him.
the mailman

put his mail on his lap without
a word.
he had a don't fuck with me
look

about him.
but really, all he wanted in
his life,

then and now was love.
true love,
not the love

the world, and most
women dole out.