Love Poem: Grandpa Tribute To Grandfathers Everywhere

Grandpa Tribute To Grandfathers Everywhere

Grampa? It’s a question usually posed with an inquisitive frown On an angelic face with large, limpid eyes And whatever I’m doing, I stop and put down Peer sagely over bifocals and look grandfatherly wise “Can you fix this grampa,” shy tentative pleas Red plastic toy held out in soft delicate fingers Tear tracks on pink cheeks, scraped, dirt darkened knees Touches deep to my heart, on child’s face my gaze lingers Sad, liquid eyes under brows scrunched and worried Timid, flowerlike smile slowly blossoms on small face My broken toy examination, slow and unhurried Parts and pieces put back together with exaggerated grace Rose bud lower lip, bitten by tiny white teeth With young brow furrowed with intense concentration A wondrous thing, this childhood belief Mouth morphs to O shape in amazed celebration Grampa’s done it again, that ingenious ‘ol geezer By fixing the toy has come through in the clutch I’m arthritic, and smell funny and I’m a puffer and a wheezer A pushover when she whispers, “gramps I love you so much” A huge happy hug and a loud sloppy kiss On grey bearded, prickly cheek These things I’ll treasure and will too soon miss When no longer ‘ol grampa they seek