Whatever flailed or failed, he tried to fix
with rubber bands and wire, nails and splints—
clothesline pulley, oven door, typewriter, rake
toilet float, furnace door, throttle, drain,
and I too have tried to keep the world in place
with cement and glue, sweetness, electric tape
as if I could pour out enough honey
to fix what’s wrong, keep everything humming
even though when my doll Thelma lost her left eye
he performed the delicate operation, sighing
as he worked it back in place
though ever after, her left and right
opened and shut separately
as if she were winking.
