Zera, Alexander

Letters to a Future Nephew

Spring 2022

I’m so happy for you! And your

wife too, of course,

on your new flame. Your

beautiful blue-blanketed beady-

eyed babe with his marbly

little toes and pink face

peeking out into the cold.

He’s so small. When you told me

he was 10 months old I could hardly

believe it. How sudden. I was

holding my breath at the

edge of the chair wondering if

he’d look like her, you, or me.

None of the above! He’s a new

thing entirely. New man, new world,

new generation! Have patience,

with him. He listens and he feels–

Sons are the undersides of

rolling wheels;

good sons always overthrow their fathers.

you blink and he’s

turned up– all grown! Oh, you’ll have to

let me see him; I’ll pick him

up in his funny

overalls and rattle him like

a keychain lightly and tell

him fairy secrets, elven

tricks.

No, little thing, I’ll say. Don’t listen

to fathers. They do no good. Each

day follow your heart and

your gut– whichever organ reels

and laughs and says

“if you really

wanted to live, you could.”

Alexander Zera is a poet and short story writer from northeastern Pennsylvania.