Some words for the week

I wake in infant light

walk to the bathroom

and brush my teeth

I face myself

in the mirror

I look into my own eyes

at the shape of my jaw

at the slight curl of my beard

I think of my grandfathers

neither of whom I really knew

I wonder if I had known them

if I could pick out

the pieces of me

that come from them

I wish this was the case

but they’ve been dead

longer than I’ve been alive

still I wonder

if a lifetime ago

when they would wake for work

and stumble to the bathroom

and shave or whatever else

who they thought they looked like

who they longed for

Alexander Shalom Joseph is a writer from Gilpin County. He is a published author. For more information and to subscribe to Alexander’s Newsletter go to alexandershalomjoseph.com