Meeting with My Father in the Orchard (Homero Aridjis)

Meeting with My Father in the Orchard by Homero Aridjis.

This poem sets the meaning very early - in the first line - by using 'past' twice, with two meanings. Later and further. And then with the father's dementia, it's like a second childhood. A forgetfulness that tends toward role reversal between children and parents. Is the child a parent? Is the parent a child? Is it later or further? Past or past?

Favorite line: "my living presence"

my living presence