I have not written many poems like this one. (Most of my poetry ends up as songs!) This exception was inspired by a “memory flash” triggered on a bus in Beijing, when I was teaching English there in 1987. My dad and I didn’t become “close knit” until after I was away from home at college. I guess I finally grew up enough to realize what treasures God had given me for parents. (I’ve long appreciated this quote from Mark Twain: “When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much he had learned in 7 years.”)

I am posting this poem here for several reasons: first, in honor of my dad’s 67th birthday; second, as an example of poetry for my students; and third, to remind myself that “making memories” with my own son is important!

Reminiscence

• Connections…
• Moved by a peanut still in its shell
•      to a day
•      a dad
• Thirty thousand miles and fifteen years back in time.
• “How do they get these things salty without opening them?”
•      I can’t recall his answer.
• The sound of the shell splitting
•      signals
•           the crack of the bat
•           the roar of the crowd
•           the fragrance of the freshly roasted nuts
•                forever a favorite
•                of a father
•                taking time
•                to make a memory.
• Close knit? not really
•      making such memories even more memorable.
•           He was often too busy
•           I too often disinterested
•           –being different from my dad.
• As time and travel take their toll
•      which childhood treasures
•      continue to touch and temper my life?
• Not the tons of toys
•           closets of clothes
•           multitude of meals
•           abundance of advice
•      so much as the days, the hours,
•      simply shared
•           loving life
•           sharing sunshine,
•                smiles,
•                and sometimes
•           a pound of peanuts.

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