A Block of Ice in the Sink

Where did it come from?
Perhaps it grew from the man’s
silver beard
and got so large
it fell off
like a rotted tusk
or a cancerous flower
the size of a watermelon.

And now it is there
melting in the sink next to a few dirty dishes.

It is gigantic in its miracle,
but a symbol too sad to even
think about any more,
this block of ice from the
old man’s beard
(he’s old now)
at least
without some sense of humor.