thinking lately of my father dead now 53 years, 5 days but alive still in my heart.
it was the most melancholy version
I’ve ever heard
and suddenly I thought of my father
singing at the dining room table
his collar open
his sleeves rolled up
his glasses perched on his nose
his right hand covering his heart
his eyes on my mother alone
this song on his lips
and my eyes start to water
it could have been the wine
but I know it wasn’t
and that song will stay with me
in that version
for the rest of the nights
of my life
Leonard Durso 
I am very moved by this
Thank you for saying that.
A wonderful poem and tribute to your father, and the great love he had for your Mom.
Thank you.
How wonderful:) I grew up with memories of the next woman my dad was cheating with. And I listened to my mom’s tears. No singing.
I’m sorry for those memories of yours. Not all of mine were happy but the ones that were outshone the others.
That’s great. You seem very happy. Everyone has ups and downs in their lives. It’s good to concentrate on the best ones:)
So very true.
Memories of my father are always entangled with memories of the garden. He loved his garden, and often stayed outside until it was too dark to see. I can picture him still – a small, grey man, fingers stained with earth, making his own peace with the world.
concrete steps
an old man rolls cigarettes
with shaking hands
my memories…
That image is lovely, Maureen. Gardens must bring you joy.
Thanks Leonard – they have done, but I am getting a bit old for the amount of work involved now… My dad was a dedicated gardener and I wish I had understood him better back then.
I think we only really begin to understand our parents the older we get.
An absolutely beautiful tribute to your father.
Thank you, Lillian.
You are very fortunate to have known this!
Thank you, Resa.
I can picture this so vividly … Thank you for sharing such a beautiful little moment.
I’m glad you liked it.
🙂
Those precious moments. Conveyed here with such beautiful detail and compassion. Have a lovely afternoon Leonard. 🙂
Thank you, Nomzi. May your day be wonderful, too.
🙂
I am so sorry you are going through the grief regarding your father. Mine passed away several years ago, but I was a blessing as the paramedics were coming down the drive way every other day to take him to the hospital. He was paralyzed and couldn’t move his arms and my mother, who was not doing well herself with Alzheimer’s disease, was his 24 hour caregiver.
He played the accordion and even ever I hear certain songs I think of him. It helped me to just sit and write the things he gave me that didn’t come out of a store….lots of things: lI’ve of music, simple things, gardening, cooking and alk things Italian. I can see more of him in Mr now than when he was alive.
God bless you in every way Leonard.
I reblogged one if your political posts on The Political Think Tank.
Paulette Le Pore Motzko
Thank you, Paulette. Our loved ones who have gone never really leave us since they stay in our memory and our hearts.
Yes that is so true.
Oh, Leonard – this tribute to your father is just beautiful. Thank you for trusting us with your memories.
Thank you, Melinda. I appreciate that comment.
I wish everyone could leave this world at the same time, so that there would be no one left behind to grieve. But it wouldn’t work that way, I guess…..
Grieving is, unfortunately, part of life.
I love the spin on ‘version’ how it makes possible different ways of seeing the same thing.
Thank you.