All work and no play
makes Jack a dull boy,
father said, which is why
we didn’t name you Jack.
We chose Harold. It means
‘Life’ in Hebrew. Please
show more signs of it.
It’s too late to change names.
The Last Look
Before my father was
put into his grave, father said,
the funeral director opened
the top of the coffin to let
me take one last look. Before
I could finish saying ‘Farewell,’
the director closed the cover.
I didn’t get the chance
to memorize my father’s face.
Hal Sirowitz is the former Poet laureate of Queens, New York. He's also a former elementary school teacher. He has stories about teaching on mrbellersneighborhood.com. He can be reached at halsirowitz@yahoo.com.
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