Tomatoes

My father
Is retired in
His 70s in San
Antonio growing
Backyard tomatoes
So many they begin to
Appear in every meal and
Serve as house visit bag gifts
Until his third wife tells him enough
And calm is restored by adding a
Few more vegetables to his back
Yard garden and I am thankful
He has married again since
When single he would visit
My family in Austin where
My wife getting ready to
Go to work would start
A shower and find no
Hot water, my Dad
Having turned
Down the
Water
Heater temp
From high to low so
Tomatoes seem much
Better than an irate wife
And a bag of old tomatoes
Can occupy two teenage boys
And a homemade trebuchet for
Hours of fun and organic
adventure with toy
Soldiers in sand
Box trenches
Milk carton
Towers
Matchbox bunkers,
Cry havoc and unleash
The tomatoes
Of war.