Listening to
Dad in the dark

us boys
in stitches

telling us stories
about himself

when he was our age
& growing up

our eyes
seeing it all

come alive

the darkness lit up
with laughter

us boys
clutching our sides

pleading “Please...
No more…no more! ”

(yet never wanting it to stop)

Knowing every nuance
each perfect pause
each shiny word

“No more…now…no more
go to sleep ya little devils! ”

Silence then
& then he’d be the first to
break it.

His wheezy hee hee
infectious

(we wanting to wee wee)

laughing so much
it hurt

“Oh God...oh God! ”

Dear Dad
I still listen to

your stories
in the dark

my laughter
echoing
down the years.


(For Brian my co-listener in the dark)

Dónall Dempsey

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/listening-as-a-little-lad-to-my-old-lad-telling-stories/