THE JAMES BROTHERS

a triptych by
MICHAEL BLACKBURN
1. The Photorapher
The roo! "!e#t o$ ciar" a%& pee#e& ora%e".
He%ry 'a" the ether a&&ict( )i##ia! teetota#.
*ir"t( I ha& to ope% e+ery 'i%&o' to c#ear the air
the% c#o"e a%& bar the! 'ith "h,tter"
to cae the &ar- $or thi" photoraph.
Both brother" "at ,%ea"i#y o% the ree% "o$a(
!,tteri% abo,t $i%a%ce a%& p"ycho#oy
#i-e t'o ",reo%" +ie'i% a% ./ray.
)he% a c#oc- I ha&%0t "ee% chi!e& behi%& !e
I 1,!pe&( &roppi% a "pare p#ate o% the $#oor.
He%ry "tare& o,t $ro! hi" ether &rea!2 )i##ia!
cho"e %ot to %otice. B,t the ca!era 'a" #oa&e&
a%& I ca,ht the! both i% their t'ee&y "i#e%ce.
3. A *rie%&
A$ter hi" $a## he a+e ,p ether( a#coho# a%& ciar"
a%& too- ,p preachi% to the city0" poor.
He "o#& hi" boo-" a%& 'rote o%#y "er!o%"(
'hich he athere& each year i% bi%&i%" o$ ree% c#oth(
payi% the pri%ter $ro! hi" 'rec-e& i%herita%ce
a%& &ri+i% hi" brother to the e&e" o$ patie%ce.
)i##ia! bro-e hi" 'a#-i% "tic- o% the "o$a i% a rae(
the &,"t ro"e ,p #i-e "!o-e $ro! a ca%%o%
'hi#e the 4,i+eri% !ai& 'ept by the &oor.
Both "he a%& the !a%"er+a%t "oo% 4,it the ho,"e(
a#o% 'ith a "e#ectio% o$ the $a!i#y5" be"t "i#+er.
Spi&er a%& beet#e co%"pire& 'ith &,"t the%
to co%+ert hi" !a%"io% to a ti%y &ar- cor%er
o$ the Ki%&o! o$ 6o& o% earth.
7. A Neihbo,r
*i$tee% acre" o$ pri!e ra8i% #a%& tho"e brother" o'%.
I !a&e the! a% o$$er a$ter their !other ha& &ie&
b,t they t,r%e& !e a'ay a" i$ I 'ere tra&e.
That He%ry a%& hi" boo-"( he #i+e" i% a%other 'or#&(
he0& trip o% hi" o'% #ace" i$ the "er+a%t" 'ere%0t there.
A%& that )i##ia!( pa!peri% the Lo%&o% rich(
he treat" ," a## #i-e a heathe% rabb#e.
They0+e #et the o#& bar% roo$ co##ap"e. Nett#e"
c#o the pa&&oc-. O%e e+e%i% by the ri+er
I "a' o#& He%ry a#o%e( "t,!b#i% ,%&er the e#!"
'here he0& p#aye& a" a chi#&. I "a' hi! $a##
'here the root" are e9po"e&. I tho,ht he0& &ro'%
b,t $o,%& hi! 'ith b#oo& o% hi" $ace(
&ry a%& a#i+e( tho,h he0& %e+er 'a#- "traiht aai%.
First version published in Dream Catcher #8 (2001) and subsequently
featured on the Poetry Magazines site (!o "he Poetry #ibrary)$
"he original i%age is fro% a postard$
"he sub&ets of the poe% bear no relation to the real brothers' of ourse$