Impish Legacy

Impish Legacy by Odin Roark He was like you and me Arms Legs Regrets Passions With little that stood out Save his church-Sunday handshake His calloused palms Telling much of This no-nonsense man His plaid shirt Always starting off clean But wrinkled Hating to bother anyone To iron Wafted oil and soil by midday The kind sometimes tied To grease monkey slurs Labor-ravaged pants Covered legs of hardlife-stamina Where given his bumless backside Help was always needed But Snap-of-his-thumbs suspenders Imprinted proudly with Monroe’s famous Skirt-blowing pinup Kept shortcomings intact Here was an everyday man With time galloping by Waiting for no one He rose at 6 Quick coffee Out the door Down the road 8 at the yard Change this one’s oil Replace that one’s brakes Add up the receipts Take home the earnings Make another deposit College won’t be cheap Leave front door open Son’s out late Comfort frail wife Crawl into bed Labor’s hand gentle Jergen’s hand longing Spooning together Smiles and pain Always slow to slumber So went this life Until it didn’t The funeral brought Many more wafts of oil and grease Friends of a feather Still flocking together With tears and sadness While upon his face A subtle smile well known Belied the crossed hand atop his chest Some of us knew He was dreaming Just one more snap of the suspenders One last reminder of life Such became an impish legacy One who acquired so much Yet took so little