Fatherhood Diptych

By Emma McNulty

1.

hi mike

his father whispered

to the ashes

to him

to the dying breeze

and all the other things

that would never answer

his father unscrewed

the cap

lifted the urn

and tilted

without the wind

he fell in pieces

at his father’s feet

as grief and silence

consumed us all

2.

i hugged my father

that weekend

it almost felt

strange

far too distant

from the time before

i love you

i said

and i wish

i said it more