IT WAS LIKE A TRIP BACK IN TIME
GOING FROM PHILLY TO MAINE
FROM LATE SPRING TO LATE WINTER
FROM THE PROMISE OF LIFE
TO THE PROMISE OF DEATH
CRYSTAL COME
YOUR DAD'S HAD A STROKE
HE WANTS YOU TO COME
ARE YOU SURE
YES HE WANTS YOU TO COME
SO DISTANT DAUGHTER
IS FLYING DOWN THE ROAD
TRYING TO NARROW ONE FORM OF DISTANCE
NOT KNOWING IF THE OTHER DISTANCE
WILL EVER BE BRIDGED
MY PRAYER A MANTRA
IN TIME TO THE WIPERS
BRUSHING THE RAIN FROM THE PANE
HOLD ON DADDY
OH DADDY HOLD ON
ODD TO BE PRAYING FOR A MAN
WHO WAS AT PEACE WITH GOD AND HIMSELF
FROM A WOMAN WHO HAD REJECTED THE SURENESS
WHO NOW HAD ALL THE ANSWERS
AND HAD NONE
OH DADDY HOLD ON
COME CRYSTAL COME
AND I RUN
CAN A GIRL EVER LOSE HER LOVE
FOR HER FIRST LOVE
HER DADDY
COME CRYSTAL COME
THIS FROM HIS SECOND WIFE
FROM WHOM I WAS DISTANT
NO FAULT OF HERS
SHE BELONGED TO HIM
THAT MADE THE GAP
SO LONG AGO I'D WANDERED FROM MY FATHER'S HOUSE
ANGRY
WITH SET JAWS ON BOTH SIDES
SHE'D MADE HIM GENTLE
THIS NEW WIFE
MY SIBLINGS HAD SAID SO
BUT I HAD WANTED TO HOARD MY PAIN
IT WAS MY SORE TOOTH
AND I SUCKED IT REGULARLY
COME CRYSTAL COME
HOW BLEAK THE LANDSCAPE HAD BECOME
HOW MATCHING TO MY SOUL AND SPIRIT
UNTIL FINALLY THE HOSPITAL WAS REACHED
MY FAMILY AND GRACE
AROUND THE BED
HOLDING HIS HANDS AND THEIRS
WATCHING THE MONITORS FOR ANSWERS
WATCHED THEM AS MY BROTHER SAID
REST EASY DAD
WE ARE ALL HERE
GRACE IS HERE
BEVERLY AND I ARE HERE
AND CRYSTAL IS HERE
HE SQUEEZED MY HAND
IN THE PLAYFUL GRIP
HE USED TO DO WHEN I WAS A CHILD
AND WENT
WENT DOWN THE ROAD AS FLAT AS THE MONITORS
A GREATNESS LEFT THE ROOM
AND SORROW FILLED THE SPACE
AN EMPTINESS WAS IN MY HEART
BUT I KNEW
SOMEHOW I KNEW
AS IF MY FATHER TOLD ME
THAT SPRING WOULD COME
AND WITH IT HAPPY MEMORIES
KNOWING THERE WAS NO DISTANCE AT THE END
GRACE THANK YOU
FOR TAKING CARE OF HIM IN HIS LATER YEARS
PERHAPS HIS DEATH WILL TEACH ME HOW TO LIVE
THE FAMILY AROUND THE DEATH BED
CRYING
HOLDING HANDS
SHARING LOVE AND WARMTH AND MEMORIES
AS DEATH ONCE MORE
TRIED TO TEACH US LIFE
Frank a. Vollmer
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