READING NOW

READING NOW

they keep probing

but, Oh brother,
this old man
has nothing to say to them

claims his memory
has failed hin completely
has forgotten everything

and he
whatever he was
by circumstance
or blood
is dead to him

but they are ruthless, insistent
probing, digging

looking
for common architecture,
time shared

trying to glean something
from this bag of old bones
before it
    becomes so incoherent

will not let him
get off scot free

escape the truth
so easily

reading him
these very words
I am writing now

not a keeper
a brother’s keeper of.
anything like
these
words      paltry few
senseless words
you
are reading now