he has to explain
age old
rules
i’ve known since the
age of 5
when chubby fingers
move and place
smooth white circles
like moons
and his always brown
like a dark sun
warmth
his small round fingernails that have little stripes on them stacking
and counting quick and
efficient
while slender fingers
relearn the
triangles
the smooth black
now brown painted leather
nails picking at seams
with nervousness
a once rowdy game
quite with
contemplation
dice clanking and the thunk
of them hitting the
small leather case
the pieces clanking and clicking
jumping until they are back
in their slot
I don’t even want to win, I just want to sit with you in silence.