Dad
He was 6 years old in his native Lithuania
– a shy boyish smile in a family photograph
– And I noticed his boots-
– With both feet sitting squarely on the ground
– that was my father
And then they came?
So the family fled eastward…
And then westward…
A father and a brother died in the heat of a Russian idea and its winter
Again they came
So the family packed up and fled
A new country, a new hope
Going to school with other boys
A shy smile in the school football team
Hard times for the family
A sales job at pitiful pay during pitiful times
Walking many miles to save pennies…
To make pennies
It all helped the small family of brothers 4
Totally dedicated to their single mother
Who in turn was
Totally dedicated to her 4 sons
Eldest brother by this time was succeeding with a partner who turned out to be rogue
And so now it was brothers in business starting at a low
At first shoe making was slow- and cumbersome of course
And then a new life with an amazing wife, Joyce Stein
Time and dedication and the needs of a new family with three sons made good for many years
And all the sons went into a profession
Just a small black nodule on the calf of his leg
No ? not very good
The large glands contained the same foreboding
?Shoe business for sale?? ?Sold?
A fever ? doctors said it may be OK ? but on the other hand it may not
And then it descended
We cried, we cried a lot
I walked along with five others
Two in front
Three to my side
And my mother and brothers were all there
And I remembered his boots….
And I hope to stand square on the ground, …and
With warmth and goodness
I hope to walk in his footsteps