My Brother

What do you say of a brother

who has mostly lived far away,

deep in my heart I’ve always known

he’s ever with me night and day.

Born ten years apart

from the same Mother,

though different Fathers

he is truly my Brother.

He came from David

and I from Paul,

each had left us

before we grew tall.

Our home life was a war

of conflict and angry yelling,

between gambling and boozing

never a shortage of verbal shelling.

Paradise it wasn’t but

we survived it together,

looking back now it’s amazing

we’re not tougher than leather.

The times he was forced to take me

in tow with his friends and crowd,

each time I’d go beaming as

I gazed at him so very proud.

My brother left early

for love and to marry,

leaving me alone with mom

now that was damned scary.

He’s steady as a rock

although a Republican,

so unique in my life

like an in-flight pelican.

When we shared a bedroom there were

watching him in the dark knowing

so many nights I spent in my bed,

he was there minimized my dread.

How can I thank him

for all that he’s done,

our time shared together

has mostly been fun.

After all of these years the hardest

thing to accept is the notion,

that the times we now spend together

seem void of real emotion.

I know in my heart we share

a most special love and bond,

but when we talk it seems

so guarded and unfound.

We talk of this and that and

what’s happened to us recently,

but seldom of memories and feelings

and what we hold inside so intently.

When death has come as it must

the thing I’ll most regret,

are the times not spent together

and all those things we left unsaid.

I do love you so Frank. Thank you for being my brother.

Gary R. Cramer

October 3, 2004

And now that you’re gone I truly miss you Bro!

November 27, 2018