26 May, 2012

Tango


Tango,
cha
cha
cha

you eternally wiley spirit you
how I praise thee now that all is ash and soot
oh my closest of bothers, lover of the father,
like no other, better even than I could ever dare,
guardian of goodness and frolicking

Dad won his veterans disability claim,
retired to a rented room on Albina
money and free time meant death to the wino
said he needed a woman or a dog
we found you on craigslist

in Gresham digging holes under fences
living in cage near the dryer
a trailer of children with squirt guns
oh how you danced,
oh how you made father love you

he quit drinking for you
he decided to live for you
and I love you for it
dog, more flesh than flesh,
jowls of who gives a fuck

tromping through no dogs allowed
everyday serving him, demanding his stability
you brought my father back to me
Geronimo and back again
but even Patrick Swayze

couldn’t beat pancreatic cancer
oh you dirty dancer
I held you as you went cold
there on the linoleum of interstate
tango, alpha, bravo.

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