3 weeks with nick

where we lived
in rural indiana
proved to be
a dangerous place
for nick
the fellow who kept
his horses in our stable
fancied exotic animals
he had a large exotic rooster
one day it attacked nick
it scratched him on his face
he came running with blood
on his cheeks
this was the last time
we saw that rooster
next week nick was riding
on our wheelhorse tractor
with his father
it somehow rolled over
and landed on nicks head
pinning him down
dad somehow
picked up the tractor
and nick ran to the house
I was on the phone
with our doctors wife
I took one look at him
and knew something was wrong
I brushed his hair back
his forehead was purple
the doctors wife called
her husband and told him
what had happened
we met him at his office
a concussion
next week
I set a cup of my hot coffee
on the kitchen table
in those days a cup and saucer
nick came running
put his hands quickly on the table
catching the edge of the saucer
flipping the hot coffee into his face
I ran to get ice in a cold towel
put it on his face and he said
mom I can't see
I paniced but said
why can't you see nick
he said because you have
the towel over my face
we treated the burns