dad's old car, parked
in the same spot, flat
tires and moss, rats
nests chewing on wires
all the signs of decay
a little bit every day
since he left it dead
an unremembered number
of years ago, left it
like a tombstone sitting
before the house he built
and i bought to help him
when he ended up living
too long for the pension
to keep up with costs

and i'm still not finding it
that cold spot of practical
allowing me to send it away
to a junk yard for scrap
as it sits there defiant
claiming the home he left

even as he spreads under
the Japanese Maples
with mom in her favorite spot
both the earth they loved
the trees, and each other
for as long as i can remember