The Afterlife

I bought a costly German watch last year,

the year my father died. I told myself it

was to mark time—a way to remember before,

and now to live after. He would have never

purchased something like that for himself.

But he did dream of such beautiful things.

I know this because I am my father’s son.

A mutual friend of ours told me years ago,

“You write what your father dreams.”

He told me that in the time before, in the

days when my father’s eyes blazed brilliant

as the stark white indices on the black

face of a German wristwatch like the one

shackled to me now, here in the afterlife.

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7 Comments

  1. Marilyn Yocum on January 9, 2022 at 8:08 am

    Beautiful, John. And inspiring, calling me back to something I knew well but let fade into the background of so much. I feel propelled forward in a way I thought was lost to me. Thank you for this, for capturing these thoughts and for sharing..

  2. Lori on January 9, 2022 at 9:03 am

    Lost both my folks this year, 42 days apart. Thankfully though their bodies rest, their souls are with Jesus. Your Dad would have smiled at this the way my Dad would have!

  3. Duncan Hilton on January 9, 2022 at 9:41 am

    Beautiful, John. Thank you.

  4. Sherrey Meyer on January 9, 2022 at 11:07 am

    Breathtaking. Thank you.

  5. Nate on January 9, 2022 at 2:23 pm

    “shackled to me now, here in the afterlife” ❤️

  6. Sophie on January 9, 2022 at 10:08 pm

    Such a wonderfully written observation and truth for many:-)

  7. Lynda Smith on January 10, 2022 at 10:10 am

    Beautiful! I love your post and the things inside your head that you share with us…

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