Nothing brings him to the door
quite as surely
as Silexine Watertight,
the complete waterproofer.
One Imperial Quart.

Opened this morning
to seal a stump,
it scents my hands
beyond washing.

No warning on the tin,
no list of toxins,
just a metal lid
scummed with rust.
Eleven and thruppence.

My father walks into his garage
and puts it away
on the back of the bench,
next to the spare.