Poetry: Where are Men When they’re Not at Home?

Where are Men When they’re Not at Home?
–Reid Bush
From What You Know

Where are Men
When they’re Not at Home? 

Dif­fer­ent places.

Some are out at the barn check­ing on the mare that’s about to foal.
I know, not many now.
A few.

Some are run­ning down to the cor­ner store to pick up some­thing they forgot.
Be right back.

Some are in offices prac­tic­ing pitch­es. Spiels.

Some are phon­ing from offices—saying they’ll be late.

Of course, many are dead.
You sud­den­ly think about them because you’re back where you haven’t been
    in 20 years
and go to look them up.
                                   But they’re not there.
                                                                 Just some widows.

But most are way off some­where search­ing for fathers who were nev­er home enough.