All Is Continuity

Boys Will Be Boys

The lamp broke.
Yesteryear.

Father found it.
Shattered.
He’s usually
very good at
fixing things.

A blind man
would be glad
to see it, he’d
say, with a half
smile after
fanangling
something back
together.

But the lamp
is quite shattered.
Irreparable.

The boys stand.
Eyes wide.
Boys will be boys.
They lie.
Father knows.

Horseplay. Outside!
He’ll say, sternly.
Face reddened.

Boys at play.
Outside.
Yesteryear.
Mother comes
home. Walks
into the house.
Finds father
sweeping up the
shattered lamp.

What happened?!
she’ll say.
Eyebrows raised,
scrunched together.
Forehead in wrinkles.

The cat knocked it over
father will say.