A Brother's Grip

[TranquillityBase]

Brotherly Love

You’re like an old dog
wagging its tail at my door,
begging to come in,

but drunken feet struggle
in the too early morning,
so I shuffle back undercover.

I thought I could hear you
playing guitar, sliding in
under my mind-

my ears become dumb bells,
the weight of you doubled
inside my head.

Your shadow leans in too close
to my pillow, catching my breath,
asking if you can borrow it.

I can almost feel the strong grip
of your hand; the stinging
whip of your tongue.

Watching your silent movie
unspooling on the ceiling,
it’s hard to picture you gone.




p.s.- With a nod to a poet named mandolyn. 

Hi Mark,

Multiple readings brought forth these comments:

The title:  "brother" seems an essential word for the title, but "brotherly love", usually meant in the wider sense of love for all fellow humans, doesn't seem right.  I don't have any alternatives to suggest.  I struggle with titles for poems.

The poem seems to begin with a memory, then slide into a present day dream.  I guess I'm just wondering if that's how you meant it to be?

"my ears become dumbells":  the more I read that line, the more cartoonish (and out of step) it seems.  Again, I don't have alternatives to suggest, just noting my reaction to it.

Other than those few comments, the poem seems like a finished piece to me.

Tim