Donald Justice(1925–2004)
Men at Forty
Men at Forty
L e a r n t o c l o s e softly
T h e d o o r s t o r o o m s t h e y will n o t b e
C o m i n g b a c k to.
At rest on a stair landing,
T h e y f e e l i t m o v i n g
B e n e a t h t h e m n o w like t h e d e c k o f a ship,
T h o u g h t h e swell i s g e n t l e .
A n d d e e p i n mirrors
They rediscover
T h e f a c e o f t h e b o y a s h e p r a c t i c e s tying
H i s father's tie t h e r e in secret,
A n d t h e f a c e o f t h a t father,
Still w a r m w i t h t h e m y s t e r y o f lather.
T h e y are m o r e f a t h e r s t h a n s o n s t h e m s e l v e s n o w .
S o m e t h i n g i s filling t h e m , s o m e t h i n g
T h a t is like t h e twilight s o u n d
O f t h e crickets, i m m e n s e ,
Filling t h e w o o d s a t t h e f o o t o f t h e s l o p e
B e h i n d their m o r t g a g e d h o u s e s .