Remembering Dad
Early glimmers of a huge hand
More powerful than any words
Home at night from hard work
To start anew on varied tasks
Digging, hauling, hammering
The new house taking shape
Early morning at the table
We gather giggling to sneak up
On hands and knees around the corner
Tiger charge, we thunder in
Disturbing your quiet coffee
Poems, planning started at 5am
The sun not quite up yet
Water slow boil instant coffee
Cigarette smoke coiling up
Errant cough breaks silence
Weekend mountain at K-TWO
The radio station power humming
Hot summer days among the pines
Gained a little money and plenty
Of solitude … from the family
Pig sty you declared the house
A filthy place with dirt abound
Down on knees impatiently
You’d show us just how to clean
Sweep carefully, get the corners
Colorful paint carefully applied
Sanded over to a lacquer finish
Hands speckled with white dust
Still hold the cigarettes
In oleum quiet basement room
Loud music blasts from the stereo
Every classical piece I know
Big hands direct the orchestra
Tijuana brass such a contrast
Ham radio, the tower so tall
Wind threatens the safety
High up climbing for repairs
I holding a guy rope hoping
Discussions of E & M
Equations remembered proudly
Crystals and instantaneous vibration
Sunspots and powers unknown
Witch of Agnesi on graph paper
Books of all types to be read
Morse code drills the air dit-dah
W7HYW calling out CQ
The downstairs room held magic
Go tell your dad dinner is ready
Trampolines, desks and Zestos
Knocking down walls, bright paint
T-shirt pulled down for modesty
It’s late, we’re sleeping he growls
Curled up on the couch big hug
Snuggled inside the large arms
Belts and it hurts me more
I’ll eat the burnt toast we joke
Life’s lessons were given few words
No hitting was hard to believe
Sitting on the planter at sunset
Moments enjoyed through and through
Memories and stories too soon
Will be that which remains
Threats of this the last year
Will surely come true one day
A big bear man now bending
All the challenges and struggles
More meaning and power hold
Responsibility to give, for us
Know. Children and Seal love you.
- jch
© April 2003 Jon C. Haass Simple Pleasures Page 35
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