The Things He Left

Rocks in the front yard.

A Japanese maple.

A painted tree on the bedroom wall.

The garden, including berries.

Some shirts.

The beautiful children.

Plants, fish, a dog.

Mail comes now and then.

Bills. Debt.

Wood in the side garden and a giant bag of dirt.

Shelves in the shed.

Damage.

A hole. A space. A lightness.

An emptiness that feels like hope.