Salt for an Empty Chair
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| Steve Reilley (12/08/60-07/05/23) |
Salt for an Empty Chair
Grief is a house with bad wiring. The lights flicker; sometimes it smells like smoke.
My older brother has been gone a few years, but he keeps showing up—leaning in door frames, laughing at my worst jokes, correcting my grip on memory like it’s a baseball bat. Death took him but left his voice in the walls. I hear the hum when the night gets long.
My younger brother is alive somewhere under the same sky, orbiting a different sun, returning no calls. His silence is a locked door I rapped on with bloody knuckles. I tell myself he’s building a fortress; I try not to mention I’m the moat.
On my side of the family tree, the branches are thin and winter-bitten. A couple distant cousins wave from far fields like scarecrows pretending to be men.
Still, I set a place for him. I pass the salt to an empty chair. I answer when the walls say my name.
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Brothers in the walls,
one breath gone, one turned away—
I set a plate still.
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I like the ‘house with bad wiring’ metaphor, Chris, and the way you describe your memories of your brother as ‘his voice in the walls. I hear the hum when the night gets long.’ I love the description of your family tree, with its branches ‘thin and winter-bitten’.
ReplyDeleteYes, the house with bad wiring metaphor is excellent! Feels like you've lost both of them but not giving up on younger brother...pass the salt!
ReplyDeleteRiveting! You evoke such pathos in your prose. I feel your loss of both your brothers. Well doen, Christopher!
ReplyDeleteBrilliant and evocative. I adore this paragraph, I can just see your brother...My older brother has been gone a few years, but he keeps showing up—leaning in door frames, laughing at my worst jokes, correcting my grip on memory like it’s a baseball bat. Death took him but left his voice in the walls. I hear the hum when the night gets long... Wonderful writing, such a pleasure to read.
ReplyDeleteWow, such gorgeous use of metaphors
ReplyDeleteMuch love
Beautiful imagery.
ReplyDeleteChristopher, I love this! From the opening sentence to the last word, wonderful. And the picture of your brother, he looks like a fun, lovable guy. I like the idea of setting a place and passing the salt to a loved one gone, but in the walls and all around. Good job on this one and I'm glad to meet you.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry for your loss, Chris! Your metaphors were great!
ReplyDeleteYvette M Calleiro :-)
http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com