For My Father

For My Father


Ariadne Auf Naxos was
his favorite Opera -- he loved
playing Chopin Mazurkas
and Bach suites -- he
was a gardener of tomatoes
and Cantaloupes, a keen
observer of his garden, a
tiller of rich soil, a
stitcher of sutures when I
was wounded; he saved
Lolita, our Brooklyn Cat
from the wheel of
the exercycle, he came
to me in my illness
and with compassion guided
me to health, always
visiting me when I was sick; I
can see him playing the
flute in the Sunlight there
where we played
flute and guitar duos -- he
always made a point
to comment on my paintings
and encourage my art -- I think
of his love for my Mother, as
Hamlet said, "So loving to my Mother
he might not beteem the winds of
Heaven visit her face too
roughly";  And he
loved my brother and me,
nurturing our interests and desires,
exposing us to great art and music -- I
adjusted his head
on his pillow there near his passing
and held his hand as
he watched The Cooking Channel, this
chef and baker of scrumptious cakes
and heavenly brownies -- though he
couldn't speak at the end I
know he loved us and I love
him still as I believe he is
still with me
in spirit and Soul --