Brothers
from Salt & Pepper, page 6
ezune press, Palo Alto, 1997
He had a Schwinn Roadmaster
the kind with the fat tank
along the crossbar
that held batteries and
had a little round chrome button
to sound the horn
Some mornings
he let me sit sideways
along that crossbar
he seemed so big and strong
to pedal for the two of us
as we headed for the
Chestnut Street School—
a first-grader and
a big sixth-grader
That was the last time we were going
in the same direction at
the same time
the last time we were on
the same path
We’ve traced one another’s
footsteps here and there
crossed paths on other occasions
often out of synch
going to or coming from
different places
There were places
of learning
of worship
of recreation
of work
of living—
a cat’s cradle
of our travels
our quests
through space and time
How glorious
to recall
a September morning
when we were going
the same way
as
brothers!