My grandfather passed away last month at the age of 87. Besides being a WWII vet and a successful dentist, my grandfather fancied himself a poet. Funny, wistful, whimsical, his words are his legacy for us to remember his personality. Since he was an avid reader of my blog (as long as I would print out the posts), and that it’s coming up on Father’s Day, I figure I should post a few of my favorite of his poems up here for them to live long on the Internet. It would give him a kick to know he was “published.”
My mom actually put a book together of all of his poems for my grandparents’ 50th anniversary. The book, titled, “If I was Married to Me,” says something about his personality and zest for life. The cover drawing my mother concocted is something else:
Herewith, some of my favorites of papa’s poems.
He created lullabies that have transcended generations:
“Sleep, Sleep Baby Sleep”
Sleep, sleep, baby sleep,
Tomorrow will come too soon,
Dreams Dreams full of moon beams,
Sent by your pal the moon.
The stars up above,
All send their love,
Up in the sky so high,
Sleep, sleep, baby sleep,
This is your lullaby.
His optimistic view of life lasted to the end. And he loved to gamble. Somehow, that goes together.
“Life is a Game of Craps”
Life is a game of craps,
The dice are yours to throw,
Snake eyes or seven,
Box cards or eleven,
When they stop rolling, you’ll know.
Life is a game of craps,
Enjoy the good rolls when you can,
You never know,
When the dice you throw,
Will change the life you plan.
Life is a game of craps,
The bounces determine your fate,
Changing happy times to sad,
Undying love to hate.
Life is a game of craps,
Where the stickman runs the show,
Is he in charge of our destiny?
Better we never know.
Life is a game of craps,
The dice are yours to throw,
Snake eyes or seven,
Box cars or eleven,
When they stop rolling you’ll know.
He had a wicked sense of humor:
“If I was Married to Me”
If I was married to me,
What a great couple I’d be,
No more nagging or hassle,
I’d be king of the castle,
What a wonderful life,
If I only was my own wife.
If I was married to me,
No more fights what to see on T.V.
Boxing, hockey, golf and lacrosse,
With the remote in my hands,
There’s no doubt whose the boss,
What a wonderful life,
If I only was my own wife.
If I had me for my wife,
Vacations would be paradise,
I would ogle bikinis,
While sipping martinis,
And be where they’re throwing the dice.
What a wonderful life,
If I only was my own wife.
If I was my own spouse,
I’d wear my shoes through every room in the house,
Drink my beer with no glass,
Burp out loud from the gas,
and no one would call me a souse,
If I was my own spouse.
If I had picked me for my bride,
What great wheels I would drive,
A Jag, maybe a Vet,
Either bright red or black jet,
With creamy white leather inside,
No fun tooling around town,
In a dinged Chevy that’s brown,
It could have been a wonderful ride,
If I had picked me for my bride.
If I had me for my wife,
One thing does not seem quite right,
Would life get boring, not too enjoying,
If there never was ever a fight?
Making up can be tender and sweet,
Especially between smooth satin sheets,
Soon on thinking things through,
One thing is so true,
I’m so lucky to be married to you!
He thought deeply about life and death more than I ever knew.
“My Spirit”
When I sleep,
My restless spirit flies,
To unknown places,
Far away lands,
Over bounding oceans,
Through spacious skies.
When I die,
O’spirit,
You are forever free,
But I always wonder,
What will become of thee?
“Live Each Day”
Live each day,
In a special way,
Leave no time for sorrow.
Have no regrets,
Or laments,
There may be no tomorrow.
Life zips by,
Like a flash in the sky,
Precious time yours to gamble.
Whose to know,
When the wind will blow,
The flame out from your candle.
Papa, your flame may be gone, but you will always burn brightly in our hearts. Happy Father’s Day.
Today is NARAL’s Blog for Choice Day – a day to recognize the important fact that a woman should have a right to choose on issues regarding their reproductive rights. To know me is to know that I feel very strongly about this issue.
