Grandpa Dreams

I dreamed of being a Grandpa.
I would wear wingtip shoes,
Brown pants, a forest green sweater,
And smell of Old Spice
And Earl Grey tea.
There would be Peanut butter cookies
And butterscotch Lifesavers.
My pockets would jingle with quarters and keys,
As I would check my grand, old pocket-watch.
I would tell sad/happy stories
About my old friend, the Footsore Fox,
And our old friend, the Ribald Rabbit.
Silly stories, perhaps,
In the grand scheme of world culture,
Or local politics...

And the kids would smile a little,
Shake their heads a little,
And feel embarrassed for me.
For quaint words that sang in my writings:
Empathy, consideration, peace, and commitment
Among them.

I would sit in my great wooden rocking chair,
And sing silly songs for them,
Or teach them to fish on a quiet morning,
At the lake,
As my Grandpas did for me.

Mick McKellar
May 2024