A Gathering of Men

The men always gather

together on the weekend

after the chores have been done;

they come together

when the sun begins to

paint the sky’s cheeks

with a rosy shade of pink blush

and the stars hover nearby,

peeking out from behind the clouds,

just waiting until they can

come out for the evening.

They get together

to re-hash their dreams

to wander in and out of

doors of memory

remembering

the touch of a young girl’s hand

the gentle feel of her lips

that one time

the sway of her hips

walking a girl home

for the first time

holding on to yesterday

just one more time

for as long as they can.

Their raucous laughter

ushers in memories

of that one time

they almost made that grand slam

the day they finally stood up

and became a man.

Playing a game of cards

yesterday and today

The memories intertwine

with today

and the laughter continues

to flow. Unsure if it’s the

beer or the nostalgia of memories

that has them feeling

so free

they laugh their way through

the late evening reunion.

There is no bitterness

laced through the openings

or gaps in their memories;

they navigate through

those openings easily.

A gathering of old men

holding onto memories

of yesterday

underneath a dark sky

and a blanket of stars

fills the neighborhood

with the music of laughter

from down deep

in the pit of the stomach

the kind that accompanies

memories, the ones

that can never be

forgotten.

Photo courtesy of getty images

Peace & Love,

Rosalind