"Reaching Back"

Underneath the medical tape and IV tube,
the bruises on my grandfather's arms
were blackberry stains.

He reached back to greet me,
three years past a time
when he could pull down
the wire cage that never completely
kept the birds away from the bush
and pluck berries into his bucket.

I held mine up high over my head
and hoped he'd put some in there,
too.