In Memoriam

Frederick William Jones

DAD

A tall man in a three piece suit,
a thick beard and thick hair and red cheeks
stories and jokes and tricks-
the dime in the dish
the crab restaurant
a new country
foot long hot dogs
frietz
the coliseum and He mistakenly bumps me
on the head with the camera
the italian pizzeria 
basketball
He lifts me up. and i can shoot a basket
He can beat me, bill and beth all at once
an office in amsterdam
the eiffel tower
changing of the guards
back to the u.s.
a basketball hoop over the garage
a new house
a basketball hoop on the street
a basketball hoop in the driveway
pinewood derby cars
waves over the bow of flapjack
is He leaving?
no, not really
macaroni and cheese with hot dogs
potato buds
suzanne
a huge dog house
a bleeding ulcer
is He dying?
the spinnaker lines are stuck-
water over the guide-rail-
hold on bill!
an air gun to sink a can
a wedding in a court house
oysters on the half shell-
woops, they're raw!
the buick wildcat
"its a car you could easily get
into lots of trouble with"
i swear at him
He stares, but understands
i'm sorry
fix the water pump
get the fender fixed
the brakes fail-
fix the whole front end
get the rear end fixed
another move
a basketball hoop
college on a basketball scholarship,
is He proud?
i hope so
beth gets married
He gives away the bride,
looking distinguished with streaks of silver hair
bill gets married,
a choked up toast at the rehearsal dinner
i am going hiking for six weeks
does He want me to?
It's my decision
He beats me in horse,
but it takes bill and Him to beat me
For the freedom to choose
for the encouragement to excel
for the guiding hand on my shot-
I thank you 
JOE


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