Family and Foundation
(To Ricardo)
The Saturday Vigil
The Holy Days with family
Family at daily Mass
Family altar serving
Serving on Sunday
Serving a precious soul
Soul in formation
Soul forming a foundation
Foundation immovable
Foundation deeply ingrained
Ingrained but soon hidden
Ingrained but now missing
Missing he seems to have left
Missing he seems to have abandoned
Abandoned the faith
Abandoned the truth
Truth of his Fathers
Truth for lies
Lies wearing cheap lipstick
Lies like malodorous smoke rooms
Rooms of flashy lighting
Rooms of pulsing sounds
Sounds of erudite professors
Sounds of a clamorous culture
Culture at once liberating
Culture deeply starving
Starving for Hope
Starving for Love
Love a simple stirring
Love a rekindled fire
Fire that seemed extinguished
Fire just needing a spark
Spark of his father’s example
Spark of his father’s prayers
Prayers he’s mourned my absence
Prayers he’s held my hand
Hand strong and certain
Hand that built my barque
Barque I’ve buried deeply
Barque that’s fit to sail
Sail into deep waters
Sail to break the waves
Waves that nearly drowned me
Waves now keep me afloat
Afloat I chart a new course
Afloat I seek the foundation
Foundation of my youth
Foundation of the family
Youth
Family
Gary Edward Geraci