ON TALKING WITH MY FATHER
A YEAR BEYOND HIS DEATH
Walking the dog you loved
on a late summer evening
too cool for tee shirts and shorts
and the setting sun a reminder
of how quickly comes the night,
I spoke to you aloud
to say again I missed you
and hoped you were at peace
when you answered in a voice
which I alone could hear,
a poplar shimmering without wind
to bend the schoolyard grass
or change the flight of moths
fluttering in the fading light.
– Joseph Neely 2026
Another poem rewritten time and time again over several years. Early versions were on the sappy side, but I stuck with it because the background story – a tree shimmering in response to a conversation with my deceased father – was real and moving.
My book, SLOW RIVERS, can be ordered through your local bookstore or online via bookshop.org. (ISBN 979-8-218-43822-7)
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Joseph Neely, all rights to original material reserved.
The Occasional Poem 
It’s a remarkable, subtle, and moving poem, Joe.
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Don’t think I’ve ever heard th
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A long time ago, but the memories remain strong.
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This may be your best yet
Prof. Emerita Sandra F. VanBurkleo Department of History, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI and Former Owner, Artisan Knitworks LLC (Chelsea, MI)
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Thank you!
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I Love It!
The first time I read it I loved the first stanza, and that has never changed. At first, the second part didn’t do as much for me, but each time I’ve gone back to it the second stanza has impressed me more. The slight break – the empty line – provides the perfect pause to collect one’s thoughts before ending the poem. I’m sure you’ll go back to it again someday, but it reads really nicely now.
On another note, is it a gift you have, do you practice it, or is it not even realized when you do it? When we were at breakfast the other day, you spoke one short sentence that not only made our waitress’s morning, but also enhanced her view of me significantly. So thanks. In case you don’t remember, it went, “Dave here tells me you’re an excellent waitress.”
See you soon my friend.
Blessings, * *Dave Miller
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Thank you for taking the time to leave a thoughtful comment. As for the comment at breakfast, I’d like to pretend it was intentionally wise but it’s probably more illustrative of the old saying that “even a blind squirrel finds an acorn every once-in-a-while.” But thanks for thinking it might be more than that!
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Beautiful! We miss our parents, they find their ways to say hello.
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