He knew he was crochety.
He’d forgotten how to love.
His cane held him upright and
allowed him to kick at stones
along the winding path home.
He wanted for nothing but
stones to kick and maybe a
bone to pick once he arrived.
Being crochety was safe.
He knew it and they knew it,
and at night after supper
he could be found down
in his old soldier’s fox hole.