Thursday 22 February, 2007

Poetry Thursday
Todays prompt is: the body knows

A few days ago, the 17th of February, was the anniversary of my father's birth in the year 1920. Today, 22 February, 2007 marks the anniversary of his death at age 58 in 1978.

Friday , March 12, 2004 I wrote a letter to my father and shared with him my feelings surrounding the time of his death. When I read Liz Elayne's suggested "totally optional" prompt for today: the body knows, I knew immediately that I would share the letter here on PT. It is edited into poetic form here with out the loss of any meaning and perhaps it has been enhanced.


Dear Dad,

I'm hoping that you are still in tune
With our earthly endeavors.
Is heaven really UP there?
Is that what it's called?
Rhetorical? Perhaps.
Answer if you can.
I'll try to open up and be receptive.

It's been a long time,
in earthly terms, since
We've talked.
The last time we met face to face
Was on 17 February, 1978.
My memory, vague at times,
Recalls it thus;


It was your 58th birthday.
I had driven into town early
Hoping that we could share
A cigarette, a cup-a, and
A moments conversation.
Driving up I found
You leaving for school.

You said you were going early
To study before class.I wished you a happy birthday.
We agreed to get together
At some other time.
Neither of us knew
That would be the last we
Would ever speak to each other.

It really was unlike me
To do something like that;
Drive down early to have coffee
before work. Was it fate?
Coincidence? I don't know,
I don't really care. I did it
And I'm thankful I did.

the body knows!

Three years; 1975-1978.
Were the best we ever had.
We became friends, shared
Adulthood, and respected each the
other, man to man.
We were proud of each other
for the accomplishment we made.

Your graduation from Junior college
age 57 with honors
stood me in awe.
I thought; "how wonderful that you
Were using your brilliant mind
To it's capacity."
Proud; "thats my dad."

The tragedy of your
Untimely death
tempered by the fact
that you died in the center
Of academia.
No better place for you
To leave from..

P.S. By the way,
If you don't want these letters;
Just send them back ;-))

rel