'Boiled Potatoes'

Boiled Potatoes

“Start the potatoes at five-thirty,” my father would tell me

At ten past five when he left our house to drive downtown

To pick up Mum at the women’s clothing store. Tonight,

I’m home with our dog while my wife is at Mass. General

Hospital seeing her mother’s new knee. She took our boy

To Boston on his first train ride, telling me to start boiling

The potatoes at five-thirty because she would be back at

Six with her dad and aunt for supper, which we eat together

On hospital days. There’s thunder in the late day breeze.

Mum used to say, “When the leaves turn over, rain is due.”

—Paul Marion (c) 2018