Sep 14
After Robert Frost
What is this venerable, hard-used tool? What is it for?
It lies inert, its days of usefulness over: gone with the thought,
The informed, actionable thought, of the father. The son doesn't know what he has,
But with a sad look, he says he will be happy to sell it to you: "For a—"
(Here he hesitates) "—two dollars." He also points out a handsome pair
Of gold-colored cufflinks. He doesn't know what they are made of.
You wish you could meet the father and go out with him on the Dauntless
(“Boat For Sale”) but spirit and thought have been borne away on angels' wings.
What is this venerable, hard-used tool? What is it for?
It lies inert, its days of usefulness over: gone with the thought,
The informed, actionable thought, of the father. The son doesn't know what he has,
But with a sad look, he says he will be happy to sell it to you: "For a—"
(Here he hesitates) "—two dollars." He also points out a handsome pair
Of gold-colored cufflinks. He doesn't know what they are made of.
You wish you could meet the father and go out with him on the Dauntless
(“Boat For Sale”) but spirit and thought have been borne away on angels' wings.
Copyright 2018, 2024 Benjamin Daniel Lukey. "Estate Sale" was first published by The Ibis Head Review. It also appears in What We Leave, a new collection now available in paperback or on your Kindle device.
