colin's grandfather does 

not reminisce

he will relate facts   with his wife

with a lifetime of help from jesu and yenny

a vineyard was built

this   he says    without undo emotion   

on the porch   facing west   last of day's light

before us   fading quickly

he answers my questions    answers

tapering to silence   it is enough   

to be here   in the soft air   

listening to soft sounds   my questions tapering as well

to silence   his history is interesting   but 

interesting is not what is needed

~

somewhere   not far away   colin's

hands are dirty

he cannot leave the soil alone   planting

or pruning vines   he will come to the porch 

eventually   beer in hand

flop into a chair in happy   quiet   fatigue   he

and his grandfather are of a kind that way   quiet

efficient   they may not 

exchange a word over the next hour

i sigh   then retrieve my sketch book   silence

and i 

do not get along as well   but this air

this sunset   this place has gotten into my heart

and sacrifices must be made 

~

when marketa comes   the silence ends   she

brings out their

curiosity   her nature does that

they find her stories wonderfully exotic

simple though

they are   of her life and world

before coming to america   she

is magical 

to them   as she is to me

why is that   i don't know   but

her quick

glances my way

obviate questions   this may be

a perfect moment