f/k/a . . .

Today is my father’s 87th birthday. Arthur P. Giacalone was

born in Lodi, NJ, to Italian-immigrant parents, on Feb. 26, 1919.

For most of his working life, ”Art” was a “mail man” for the U.S.

Post Office (on walking routes in neighborhoods in Rochester, NY). 

In retirement, he drove a school bus until hitting the maximum age

limit of 70. (With his perfect safety record, why didn’t his two lawyer

sons fight that ageist rule? He probably would have told us to mind

our own business).

 

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I wish it were possible to give Dad his good health back.  Instead,

the best I can do is to let him know how much his three children, his

wife, and his five grandchildren love him, and appreciate how hard this

humble man worked to raise his family and set us off into the wider

world.

 

Click here to see my Dad with his three children on Easter 1954.    

 

“dadL&J05s”  And click here to see him in 2005 with his two youngest

grandchildren. 

 

I’m a lucky man to reach the age of 56 and have both of my parents alive.

Dad, as always, I send my love and wish you all the best.

 

 

“snowflakeSN”  Yu Chang has written many poems that set

an appropriate tone today.

 

 

 

old passport

the tug

of my father’s smile

 

 

 

 

 

 

pumpkin patch –

this one is big enough

for my son

 

 

 

“snowflakeSN”

 

winter woods

seeing myself

in black and white

 

 

 

 

 

 

early bird special

rubbing elbows

with strangers

 

 

 

 

 

old birch

the cracked heart

still shows

 

 

“treebare”

 

 

 

winter solstice

so glad

you got home safely

 

 

 

 

 

mountain lake -

basking

in your reflection

 

Yu Chang - all from Upstate Dim Sum 

“old passport” - (2001/II);The Loose Thread: RMA 2001

“pumpkin patch” & “winter woods” - (2005/I)

“old birch” - Upstate Dim Sum  (2001/I) 

“early bird special” - (2004/II)  

“winter solstice” - (2005/II)

 

“snowflakeSN”  dagosan has penned a few, too, that

are dedicated to Art Giacalone.

 

 

WWII 
dad rather not 
talk about it

 

 

 

dad’s 87th birthday
emphysema
and dementia

 

 

 

 

visiting parents –

faces and refrains

gettin’ old

 

 

 

rainy night drive –

squinting at glare 

through dad’s eyes

 

 

 

 

 

that little grunt
dad always made–
putting on my socks

 

           frogpond (XXVIII: 2, 2005);

              inside the mirror: RMA 2005

  dagosan

 

                                                                                                          dad -larger  ”dadMay05s”

                                                                                                                                dag - larger ”dagMay05″