My people – Bob
sunlight filters warmth
into the library windows
while Bob works
with tiny brown leaves
places them
on small white papers
lines up the leaves
rolls all the leaves
into a tube
my five year old self
mesmerized
My favorite part
he licks his tongue
on the white paper
so it all stays together
The tubes are
my fingers’ size
he make the tubes
over and over
I love Bob
mother calls him father
others call him Doctor
or the Maj
he sits back
in his favorite chair
in the library
he stretches
puts a match to the tiny tube
then into his mouth
he breaths out puffs
of white and gray
clouds