How I Saw Him

It's been a decade.

I saw him
smoke his Camels
right down to his 
knuckles.

I saw him
play the drums
on the bandstand
in the park on 4th of July.

My good friend Bob Wallack. RIP brother.

I saw him 
cook a thousand meals,
always wearing an apron
of blue denim.

I saw him 
pop his collar
everytime he wore
a polo shirt -- summer, winter, or fall.

I saw him 
siphon gas 
out of his wife's car
so he could start his.

I saw him
wear swim trunks 
and go into the ocean, once,
that was enough!

I saw him 
kiss his daughters goodnight,
leaning over the crib,
up on his tiptoes.

I saw him
swing a golf club
and I laughed so hard
it made me cry.

It's been a decade
since I last saw him,
lung cancer 
saw to that!