Strolling through my head

Work is slow and I twiddle (not Twitter) my thumbs most the day lately. With this much time to kill, I find myself rehashing a lot of things while trying to refocus and stay on top of all my crap. As I pour through my journals and other writings, I occasionally come across things that I had put to far back in my mind.

Recently I was thinking of my little brother, Anthony; whom I have been close to (by age too) for most our younger life but recently are too far apart. It shows in my poem.

The poem was actually written on his birthday in 2004 and that was before his young son was born. Alas, how time flies by us all.

Ode to my lil’ bro

I have got to say on this day
that my only younger brother
has done our family proud
by doing right by his mother.

He managed to find his way
out of Mudville, Texas;
all the way to Florida;
which, my mind, perplexes.

He sowed his wild oats.
He avoided serious trouble.
He got it out of his system
and snapped to it on the double.

He got his education, and
on track he got his life.
He found himself employment,
and a lovely wife.

He bought her a nice home,
and he started a career,
Then together they started
a family which to rear.

And with that little girl he does

the chores and duties which he outta.
He takes good care of Emma’s mother
and Bubbles’ third granddaughter.

stu pidasso

February 8, 2004

And last night, I stepped out for drinks with a friend and his wife. While waiting for them to show up and trying my best not to look like I had nothing to do, I started work on another poem for my son. I have been working on writing a collection of poetry just for him and I decided to write twelve of them on the subject of the Boy Scouts of America's Scout Law. It says, "A scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent." Scouts were a big part of my life growing up and I fret over the absence of that quality life experience for my son, but I can at least expose him to the ideals and principals that I learned from my involvement. While thinking upon the topic of "HELPFUL", my mind wandered across the term "a better man". I remember it from the Jack Nicholson movie, As Good As It Gets, where he tells Helen Hunt at one point that knowing her (and in desiring her) made him want to be a better man. Here is my poem, Better Man, about being helpful which I have written to and for my son.

Better Man

Some strive for a woman.

Some struggle for a child.

Some are doing all they can

while others lounge and smile.

But boy, I implore

that you understand,

it is worth it all the more

for you to be a better man.

As we live from day to day

and do all the things we do;

when you have the means and way

lend a hand when it's asked of you.

Endeavor to be helpful, son;

to others on life's road.

But help them by pulling your own,

before laboring with their load.

stu pidasso

April 29, 2009