Grandpa Taught My Son to Walk

Down a dirt road to the white washed adobe house

three bedrooms, a living room, kitchen and bathroom.
The bathroom was never plumbed so we had to walk
outside to the wooden shack close to the pig's sty.

My son learned to walk on the linoleum floor
it was higher on one end where the table sat
and sloped down to the wall with the kitchen sink.

The gradual slope was the right trick
to get my child moving on his wobbly feet.
The sun had already set when we drove in
dinner was waiting and grandpa took the baby

and said, “This boy is too old not to be walking.”
He placed him on the floor and my son started walking
before we sat down. I guess after twelve kids,
grandpa knew something about kids and walking.