He hangs upon my office wall
A reminder that he’s gone
But also that he was once here
Well, not here, in my office, of course
He was long dead before this room, this building existed
But here, in my life, loving me
Loving his mother, his wife, his siblings
Loving life itself with great joy
He is surrounded on these walls
By artwork created by his grandson
The one who is his spitting image
But who has never met him
Except when he looks in a mirror and sees
Long legs and arms, spindly wrists and big hands
A thick shock of hair and a mile-wide grin
I remember he was an awesome dad
The kind of dad who teased, which I didn’t like,
But also encouraged me to read and to learn
Got me my first car and taught me to drive
Worried when I drove too fast, too far, too recklessly
I remember getting cards from him in college
With a $20 bill and a note,
“Here’s some mad money for you.
Don’t tell your mom. Love, Dad.”
I remember when he died, though I wasn’t there
I didn’t come when he called, but delayed
Was too late, always too late
I wish for my son memories of his grandfather
But it’s too late for that, too
___________________________
I’m sharing this today for dVerse Poets Pub Open Link Night, but it’s in response to last week’s Poetics prompt that I missed about hanging around.