Backyard Frontyard

Clothesline overgrown
Tall grass and rhubarb
Peony bushes
And the grave of my first dog.

Panasonic box he had a stroke someday
I hope someone finds him and wonders why
Bones are buried with toys buried with love.

A manhole cover makes a good homeplate
For whiffle ball games. The Roe brothers had
One too. But not as good as mine they had
No trees to hit through
No leaves to inhibit fly balls that would land
On Mr. Stimmels bank.

Not knowing property lines we would
Gleefully use his drive as an end zone
Bleacher combo target to hit to to run
To always yelled at always scoffing always
Mrs. Stimmel yelling always but not him.

I found a picture of him once a coach
Of a womans softball team it was him
In face but not in body God it was
Thin but that chin. That chin would break granite
Watching us made the chin wag, smile, glow, beauty.