When his wife died in childbirth
On February 25, 1927 my
grandfather Joe
Felt his heart stop and then
contract
Until it was small and hard and
round
And cold as a marble. Ase, his
brother,
Brought him home and sat with him.
Joe's deft fingers shook. For three
days
He sat in the dark. On the fourth,
My great aunts Jenny and Lena
Brought his chess set from the
apartment
Joe never visited again. Jenny
opened the blinds
While Lena set up the board. She won
Fifteen games in a row.
She thought she was winning game
sixteen
When Joe's eyes narrowed.
"Mate in five," he said.
"So he remembers how to
talk?" said his sister.
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