Sonnet 45: In his 90s he tries to pick up women with bovine...

By Tatiana Suarez-Pico

In his 90s he tries to pick up women with bovine
70 heads of cattle, “you want a picture?”
Alzheimer’s better than being drunk on wine
His memories- a second away from rupture.

He looks at those kids- “they ugly,” he says
What’s her name again? “Oh, right,” he pretends.
Sometimes he thinks he is in the Suez
The children think time has caught up and it’s time for him to make amends.

He wasn’t the best father
Liked to come home to beat up grandma
Showed up every few months and either
demanded sex or food to feed his maw.

But now everything has gone blank, he doesn’t say much and a granddaughter shaves him every three days
It mutes my thoughts that his last days are spent in a daze