By Thomas Elson
PROMPT—Ask Me.
Before his world was made, he heard Let’s start here When he saw his beautiful daughter With chubby cheeks and curiosity Sitting on her grandmother’s rocking chair The one made by her great-grandfather And heard her first question
Then he saw her grandmother, guiding, reflecting, suggesting And he heard Let’s start here
He saw his daughter decades later When she - now a grandmother Was asked the same question And emerged as the woman who When her granddaughter asked her the first question Walked with her to the basement Found the rocking chair where she had asked her questions Removed the dust Brought it upstairs
And said,
Let’s start here.
Thomas Elson’s short stories, poetry, and flash fiction have been published in numerous venues such as Calliope, The Cabinet of Heed, Ellipsis, Pinyon, Inlandia, Lunaris, New Ulster, Lampeter, Selkie, and Adelaide. He divides his time between Northern California and Western Kansas.