“Even the dead tell stories”

father once told me

As he

cleaned the reds off his knife.

“Never falter,”

He told me.

“Never hesitate,”

He told me.

“But most importantly,”

He told me,

“Never leave anything behind.”

That night we set it on fire,

Death rising

to the clouds with the smoke.

. . .

Another day,

Many years

later,

I would remember this lesson.

“Even the dead tell stories,”

I recalled.

So when the opportunity

came;

I did not falter.

I did not hesitate.

And taking care to clean my blade,

I made sure my father

Would never leave anything behind again.