GRANDDAD'S CANDY

A BOY AND HIS GRANDDAD AND THE CANDY

Granddad offered candy
from a white paper bag
and you slowly took one

and put in your mouth
and the strong peppermint flavour
exploded on your tongue

as Granddad closed his eyes
and sank back
into his chair by the fire

and he said
if you go outside
to the john

be careful of the mutt
who sleeps there
and the spiders

which hang around
waiting for little boys
and look out

for the fairies
at the bottom of the garden
hidden amongst weeds

and you nodded
as you always did
and tried to swallow the candy

as fast as you could
and Granddad said
look over by the side

and pass me
the cigarettes and lighter
and don’t let

your grandmother see
or she’ll moan about me
and my breathing

and my heart
and you looked over the side
and picked up

his cigarettes and lighter
and brought them to him
and Gran said

from the kitchen
he’s not smoking
those cigarettes again is he?

And you said
looking at Granddad
hiding them behind his back

no Gran he’s just sucking
on a candy and he’s given me
one to suck and one to keep

and Granddad had his eyes
closed still
pretending to be asleep.