How is it that
the year is almost half over?
Half gone.
Half used.
And in my case, half forgotten.
Where did those six months go?
It seems like only yesterday I was
stuffing the artificial tree back into
it's too small box-
struggling with Christmas lights-
and leftover ham-
and fragments of wrapping paper.
It seems like only yesterday
that I was toasting to the new year.
With promises.
And hope.
And big plans
for my small world.
It seems like only yesterday
that I sat in the dark stillness of
an early morning room-
gazing out the window-
hoping that the snow would melt
and spring would come...
And I told myself that I would run outside
and soak up the sunshine
and walk in the clover
and never be caught
wasting time again.
It seems like only yesterday
that I watched for the first buds
to unfold from the maple trees-
the amazing process of birds
building their nests-
the return of pond animals,
daffodils,
and fireflies.
It seems like only yesterday
that I first mowed
the new spring grass
and loved the tingle of
a sunburn on my face-
How I savored the flavor of cold iced tea!
Wasn't it just yesterday that
I sang over and over again to myself
-a soft, familiar song
as the lawnmower chucked away
the fresh clippings and
stubborn dandelions?
It seems like only yesterday
that I watched the full moon rise
behind a veil of purple haze
and it made perfect shadows on the lawn
that I thought I would forever
keep in my memory.
It seems like only yesterday
that the days were long
and summers were forever
and I promised myself
not to let time slip by...
But it did.
*****************
A Special thanks to my Dad
on Father's Day for being
such a good father to us all.
I wish you were here.
I'd fry you up some steak fries
and grease gravy
or take you
to the Best Western for
the smorgasbord.
You could wear your
tan beret,
nice yellow jacket,
and take your teeth out
at lunch time.
And we could talk about Mom
and your life
and I'd ask you things
I forgot to ask
when you were alive and smiling at me
from across a booth at Denny's.
I love you, Dad.
Happy Father's Day.
