A Secret

Blurring via train across

across the northern tip of Ireland,

The woman with

The white hair

Strokes the hands of

Her grandson

Swaths of ocean blues and forest greens

Occupy the eyes in hard flashes

And the boy nearly drifts

To something of a slumber

Placing his head on her lap

But, before his lids

Fully drop

He says

That he had

A good time

And the grandmother

Pats his cheek

And tells him

That

that

is the secret

Always have something

To look forward to

No matter how mundane

Or simple, or misunderstood

Always have it

Just beyond the bridge

Anything will do:

The soft crumble of a meringue,

A letter to write, a dog to pet,

Someone with whom

To sit

And deliver,

Even receive,

A “good boy”

Mathieu Cailler is the author of seven books: a novel, two short story collections, two volumes of poetry, and two children’s titles. His stories, poems, and essays have been featured in over one hundred publications such as Wigleaf, the Saturday Evening Post, and the Los Angeles Times. Cailler has garnered numerous awards for his writing, including a Pushcart Prize; a Readers’ Favorite Award; and accolades from the Paris, Los Angeles, and New England Book Festivals. Connect with him on social media @writesfromla or visit mathieucailler.com.