Sky blue eyes
And a soft squishy belly
Kind warm smile
Often watching the telly

Passionately patriotic
And oh so humble
Hardly ever a complaint
Or any kind of grumble

Lover of his country
A soldier he became
Flying the flag high
In every parade

Talented carpenter
Was his dedicated trade
Whistling while he worked
A lovely tune and serenade

Green thumbed man
And lover of nature
His dedication to God
Should have made him a preacher

Skilled kite maker
And master kite flyer
Practically nothing
Could ever go higher

Lifesaver candies
And minty cigarettes
Things he would one day
Very much regret

Was it black coffee
Or earl grey tea?
As I contentedly bounced
On his never tiring knee

Crackers and sardines
He shared them well
Convincingly trying
To tell me they were swell

Tums for indigestion
He always had a pack
And even though it pained him
His smile never lacked

Rosy red cheeks
And an almost bald head
Read his Bible every night
Before going off to bed

Sadly enough
It’s now been too long
I can’t even remember
His favorite song

He now rests with grandma
Still whistling his serenades
And his kindhearted demeanor
Will certainly never fade

I miss him immensely
He gave me my love for life
But I’m so very thankful
He’s now free from pain and strife

© 2021 Michelle Cook

*This is an older poem, written in 2017. It was written in loving memory of my grandfather, who meant the world to me.

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Photo credit: https://pixabay.com/photos/beach-bird-nature-ocean-outdoors-1846694/