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Wednesday, June 27, 2018

MexiMensch

It’s inevitable,
I’m becoming
my old man.

That’s ok
he was the original.

He stood
in privileged rooms
but on the sidelines.

The inner circle
was for others
possessing the right pedigrees,
the right colleges degrees,
the right hair grease.

We both found ways
to sneak in,
to fit in
where we weren’t expected.

He was polite to a fault
and rarely traded in vulgarities,
unless there was
a conspiratorial laugh
to be harvested.

He had more
self-discipline,
but I went more places
he was afraid to go.

That fear kept him
from visiting doctors,
to avoid any bad news,
and he was finally seen
when he was in the morgue
undergoing an autopsy.

He was humble,
an outsider
a servant.

He made me laugh,
never excluded anyone
and was generous
beyond expectation.

I didn’t envy his
(now mine)
receding hair line
but I did covet
his prodigious genitalia.

Mostly,
I have his smile
and his kind heart.

He was the original
MexiMensch,
and I am but
a mere aspirant.


(For the longest time, this was our only family portrait. My Pop is the tall one on the left.  Poem written for Poets United.)

19 comments:

  1. Ahhhh. It's in your blood. I hope he had the some sense of humor too. Vivid pictures, and very endearing.

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  2. How I love this! "I am becoming my old man." I love that you inherited his kind heart , and I am sure you are just as wonderful as he was, kiddo.

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  3. Oh what a beautiful tribute to your father a great example to follow and at the same time to expand on your own. I enjoyed your poem

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  4. That was a bit mean him not passing on those attributes to you! However he was probably not a writer like you. We each have our skills and must make the best use of them and as you have here acknowledge the contribution of others,

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  5. A fine tribute to your father. I love these comforting lines most: I have his smile / and his kind heart.

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  6. Lovely poem, fun portrait, but poo you didn't identify yourself in the photo!

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    1. I'm the one my Pop has his arm around. That was me waaaay long ago.

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  7. I love this - the way you've captured the essence of your father. I suspect you are more like him than you admit.

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  8. Oh what a loving portrait of your dad. I think now I knew him, his heart, his shyness, his joy, his love for all things good especially his family. I think you too, must have it all as it is you as well. Lovely!

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  9. Oh I love this Mosk... to find parts of your father in you is something I recognize and also to be a bit on the sidelines... a wonderful thing

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  10. He and now you sound like a wonderful man!!

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  11. What a nice compliment to your father.

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  12. I love how you pointed out the similarities and the differences between you. Very nice tribute to your dad. The part about not going to doctors so as to not hear bad news reminded me of my mom. She might be alive today if they'd caught her cancer sooner.

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  13. Oh my gosh, you guys are so stinkin' adorable!!!

    Stanza 6 is my fave.

    Write more!

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  14. What a wonderful tribute to your father. (K)

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  15. This is wonderful! I love how reading your poem makes me feel like I know a bit about both you and your Dad -- great writing!

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  16. Such a wonderful tribute to your father ~ Now that I am growing old too I sometimes look into the mirror and see my mom ~ Have a good summer Mosk ~

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  17. Can feel the love flow through your words, Mosk. And yes, I felt closer to dad than mom. I hope your children feel as influence by you, as you are by your dad. The kindest compliment one can pay to a parent.

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  18. Marvelous write, Mosk. I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit, though.

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