Jacob on Isaac

It's tough to talk of fathers
I have to try

Sons never master distance
and now that I
myself
a father travel

I come to fear leave-taking
use of insurance
the easy cheer expense accounts afford
and reserved seats

but all to no real purpose

How do we face hereditary weakness?

When I think of his,
remember meetings,
recall the brink we never crossed but once

when we discussed his life's ambition
marriage
his children
us

agreed to talk no more on such painful themes
confined ourselves to weather
and harvests
dreams

a house without a mortgage
a wife who spends
money earned and effort
on household ends

a washing machine
a drier
new rugs and chairs

admittedly things she needed
and lacked

aware any statement I could make
would be too bold
I attack obliquely

by raising death
the singular of the dual.
A son takes breath

and father's death
begins
and builds
like snow.