for my father

      

After night patrols in the Ardennes

the Germans somewhere in the snow and fog

after the commutes the endless days

in the office you who aged

now have no age I don’t know if

words are what you hear now

as you heard the river far below

in another century where we

crossed the rope bridge over

the gorge the boulders beneath

and clear turn of water though

I have seen the bridge since 

and smelled the fragrance of

the ginger forest just beyond

you have crossed and I call

without words to the other bank

of no age beyond the soundless

river and the deep chasm

here the spring has come again

the rose bush that you pruned

when I was ill has buds

and you answer without words

like ancient petals that unfurl

in no time no time at all