Brother Mine
by Dawne Zacharias
He came to me in tears
A plane of thin weightless wood
Fit together by a center groove
A propeller with a rubber band to wind
“Where is it?” I asked
He pointed, “over there” was his whine.
"Show me, my brother," was my love this time,
Then I saw it, bobbing and floating in the middle
of the muddiest, smelliest, most opaque pond
that stretched for a hundred yards or more
“Please get it” he choked, with tears running down his face,
I knew I couldn’t reach it with a branch and
what I would do for my little brother....
what in the world was I thinking, no way am I going in there
I rolled my eyes, as he grabbed my arm, “please” he cried.
As I entered, the mud began to rise above my ankles, then
my washing days had just begun, sneakers, socks, pants...
my knees, waist, then shoulders, cold enveloped me
my walk was pointed in one direction
his bobbing plane now just a few feet away,
one last step and I’d have it!
I could hear my brothers shouts of delight
as I held his plane over my head, he
danced on the edge of the pond, an Indian dance
I could feel his absolute joy in this 25 cent plane,
I smiled and shouted, “ I got it.”
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