Five Words

The TV image was of a man and his one year old son
home after a twelve month tour

empty boots and bayonet off in the background
in the cheering gym.

no

I'm not going to tell that story.

babies delight in their feet
hold them
love it when you nuzzle them with your nose
peal with laughter when you tickle them

then we confine them in shoes(bronzed on a mantle)
and that soldier missed that first step

no

I'm not going to tell that story

hold the coffee table
come to mommy
bump

up
step
bump

so when the host of As It Happens
talked of six words
Hemingway saying his most powerful line
was six words
For Sale. Baby shoes. Never used.
bump
I sat down
(though driving a car already seated)
up
bump
I pulled over

damn, those six words had just stopped a moving car

but the image that popped into my head
weren't the shoes but those boots
I won't talk about

and five words

We regret to inform you

~~ Phil Specht  26 September, 2012