Old Man with Cup of Tea

Two men seated
on a small prayer bench
Undivided
but for the kettle
resting in-between

The young man
is holding a pipe
while the other
white hair thinned
bends fingers crooked
around a cup of tea

Only the old man knows
both
the goodness
of tea
and the grace
of smoke

Otherwise
father is son

David Dixon is a physician, poet, and musician who lives and practices in the foothills of North Carolina. His poetry has appeared in Rock & Sling, The Northern Virginia Review, Connecticut River Review, FlyingSouth, Volney Road Review, and elsewhere. His book of poetry The Scattering of Saints is forthcoming in Spring 2022.