The Family - A Sestina

All together and laughing, the family

Fills the long, low house on the farm;

They gather naturally to drink coffee,

To rein in the years and make them stand still.

In his armchair, an old man smiles

And shakes his white head at the children.

 

Squirming with impatience, the children

Play on the floor while the family

Stands with hands in pockets and smiles

And discusses a new tractor for the farm,

While someone asks if the old one works still

And someone starts a fresh pot of coffee.

 

The sound of beans grinding and the coffee

Dripping, drowns the sound of the children

Who must take loud games outside, or be still.

One sister starts dinner for the family

and listens to the talk of the farm.

They ask how school’s going and she smiles.

 

Mom watches from a corner and smiles;

She laughs at the jokes and makes more coffee

And watches the sun set over the farm,

Her kind eyes falling on the playing children.

Dad kisses her cheek, while the family

Reins in the years and makes them stand still.

 

Dinner is done but they’re talking still;

A brother is telling a story and smiles,

Enjoying the drama, though the family

Has heard it before. The coffee

Makes them as giddy as children,

And laughter springs up like weeds on the farm.

 

Three brothers draw up plans for the farm;

Mom and the sister are cleaning up still

And laughing at the playing children.

Everyone looks at everyone and smiles;

“Some things are as certain as the coffee

Never running out.” So says the family.

 

The family tethers the years to the farm,

Keeps time by coffee while the clock stands still,

And smiles, hopeful, at the playing children.