Unshaven
a white-ribbed undershirt
peeks out from a maroon
nylon button-down
swirling
with midnight blue paisleys

The vacation shirt
we called it
now barely buttoned over
his atrophied frame
bubbling belly

Brown polyester pants,
loose-fitting, sag down
long before
it became a fashion
statement

His eyes
formerly unfocused
center on me
stalking
with my new Polaroid

I capture him
pin him to place on a black background
and gently close the book

That bean bag ashtray
red and black plaid
piled with Carlton butts
burns off his yellowed fingers

The insidious glow
from cooling ash
seemed
to linger in the world
longer
than he did