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

Shy and determined 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

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 shoemaking was slow- and cumbersome of course

But 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….

I hope to stand square on the ground,
And walk in his footsteps