First Things RSS Feed - Burt Myers https://www.firstthings.com/author/burt-myers en-us Copyright 2025 First Things. All Rights Reserved. ft@firstthings.com (The Editors) ft@firstthings.com (The Editors) Mon, 20 Jan 2025 16:54:40 -0500 https://d2201k5v4hmrsv.cloudfront.net/img/favicon-196.png First Things RSS Feed Image https://www.firstthings.com/rss/author/burt-myers 60 Nanna's Accordion https://www.firstthings.com/article/2016/03/nannas-accordion https://www.firstthings.com/article/2016/03/nannas-accordion Tue, 01 Mar 2016 00:00:00 -0500 Nanna’s accordion
is gathering dust
on a plywood floor
at the top of the stairs.

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]]> Cowboys in Winter https://www.firstthings.com/article/2013/01/cowboys-in-winter https://www.firstthings.com/article/2013/01/cowboys-in-winter Tue, 01 Jan 2013 00:00:00 -0500 The Sons of Katie Elder make such noise!
Dad’s fast asleep, despite his three grandsons
waving their toy pistols, kiddy cowboys
shouting to be heard above John Wayne’s guns.

Mom sits out in the kitchen, where the din
is slightly less ear-splitting, with her boys.
We try to talk, but can’t seem to begin;
glad for the kids and their disruptive toys.

The doctors say it’s spreading quickly now.
It still seems like there must be some mistake.
Mom does what women do, fights through somehow
to give him what he needs when he’s awake;

still throws the curtains wide each day at dawn
to what remains of winter’s weakening sun.

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]]> Sisters https://www.firstthings.com/article/2012/11/sisters https://www.firstthings.com/article/2012/11/sisters Thu, 01 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -0400 The sisters, quick
to gather,
like moths to candlewick,
mourn another
sudden death,
with thrumming
talk and measured breath.
Their men succumbing
one by one,
they rally round
the common family good
and carry on,
stoic and sorrowbound,
in widowhood.

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