The Ofi Press Magazine

  By Len Kuntz, USA (Published in Issue 3)

 Len started sending out work in May of '09 and since then has been really fortunate to place just under 300 pieces in various literary journals, mostly in the USA, but also in England, Japan, Australia and Halifax.

www.lenkuntz.blogspot.com

Reunion

We take the photo in the same place each year,

by the grand fountain,

same positions,

shortest to tall

as if there’s nothing else to mark the time

but our slacking skins

and a different set of sweaters.

We are his daughters.

We sang sweet notes and invented excuses for being women

instead of ladies.

Nights we fought in silence with locked doors

and shattered mirrors.

“No one got hurt,” we’d always say.

A lawyer, a lesbian, a surgeon and one hack.

The photographer prompts, “On three, say…Father!”

and we do

because Mom’s asked us,

because she’s standing there

remembering him again,

loving Dad like we should have.

Nobody sings.

We feel our way through dark clouds and cracks.

I remember you wanted to love me.

Those were full days,

cherry nickels.

When your Toyota backfired,

we bawled from laughter.

Now the western winds are spreading

wild fires

and we are confused pedestrians,

weary from walking the same space,

treading foul air,

disobeying every road sign

on our way to ruin.