Questioning the Wall

by David Atwood

Through the wall while half in dream

I heard the taptaptap

like a conductor's baton

when my father readied for work.

A job that paid him

to ride a train for days at a time.

A job I did not understand

that had him climb aboard a caboose

hours before other fathers

would even smell their coffee.

A job a five year old would trade Christmas to have.

I imagined it was the taptaptap of his comb

after perfecting a Brylcreem curl

over one eye like Elvis.

My fertile imagination

filling the blanks

of things not yet understood.

Years later, I ready for my day

and taptaptap my toothbrush on the sinks edge

I finally understand.

And now I question everything

that I ever thought I understood

about my father.

New Orleans native DAVID ATWOOD is a working voice actor and graduate of the LSU School of Architecture. With careers ranging from radio DJ to professional musician, Atwood's common denominator has always been writing. He self-published his first book of poetry "Find Your Way Home" in 2011, and his second book, "Catfish Bones and Cajun Ghosts" will be coming out within the next few months. Having lived in Los Angeles and Atlanta he and his wife, writer Christee Gabour Atwood, now make their home in central Louisiana