My father in law was physically abusive, a filanderer, and an alcoholic. He died October 15, 1986 by his own hand, a gun shot to the head. He was a used car dealer who had his driver's license revoked for life after he was caught driving on the side walk
Rain drives drifts to sea
Clouds part
The sun creases the clouds
A camper isolated eerily quiet
Young children clamor and play
A car approaches stops
Its occupant slowly exits
The purposeful gait not the same
Arrogance dissipates to uncertainty
A tap on the door, a tentative greeting
The children approach Paw Paw is here
Uncharacteristically attentive he pauses
Smiles softly
Donating each ample quarters
The arcade room lures them away
He sits brushing his hair, hands tremoring
Carefully constructing his words
His daughter dubiously listens, untrusting
Her husband observes, appraising
Slowly and painfully he speaks
Admitting past sins
A father not a father how sad
Searching for forgiveness at the end
An apology eerily final
A hug and a kiss a goodbye
The last words heard from his lips
A proud man broken
The car departs
A sinister premonition of approaching events
The end is swift abrupt and final
An act of free will
A sad testimony to a life misspent
His soul at peace at last
Poetry by Kee Zealy
Read 37 times
Written on 2025-06-19 at 11:47
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Last Goodbye
Labor Day weekend at the beachRain drives drifts to sea
Clouds part
The sun creases the clouds
A camper isolated eerily quiet
Young children clamor and play
A car approaches stops
Its occupant slowly exits
The purposeful gait not the same
Arrogance dissipates to uncertainty
A tap on the door, a tentative greeting
The children approach Paw Paw is here
Uncharacteristically attentive he pauses
Smiles softly
Donating each ample quarters
The arcade room lures them away
He sits brushing his hair, hands tremoring
Carefully constructing his words
His daughter dubiously listens, untrusting
Her husband observes, appraising
Slowly and painfully he speaks
Admitting past sins
A father not a father how sad
Searching for forgiveness at the end
An apology eerily final
A hug and a kiss a goodbye
The last words heard from his lips
A proud man broken
The car departs
A sinister premonition of approaching events
The end is swift abrupt and final
An act of free will
A sad testimony to a life misspent
His soul at peace at last
Poetry by Kee Zealy
Read 37 times
Written on 2025-06-19 at 11:47
Save as a bookmark (requires login) Write a comment (requires login) Send as email (requires login) Print text
