His cold past made him warm

Calloused hands made him soft

He kept us from it

Protected us from the stain life brings

At least kept us clean

long enough to roll in the mud of our own making

Never tainted by his

“Have you ever cried”

He’d laugh when asked

Then give us glimpse of the scars that littered his frame

Which, as he says, was once

Thin and frail

But now fat and plump

“ I have” he says

“There is no scar that formed

Without tears that droped”

“ I have” he says

“ for every meal kept from me

For life is much different today”

With a smile on his face

He says

“I have and I shall again”

“ for a time will come when you will leave me

And I long and dread this day

For you will be strong but I weak

And we will speak as two men speak

As familiar strangers

And I will cry once more”

“ I wouldn't “

“You must

but not yet”

His words would ring in my ears

for years to come

His smile I took to the mud

And came out clean

For the world is cold

And it keeps me warm