A Virtual Church

If I Could Put You in My Pocket

June 27, 2021

This is a poem I wrote for my brother after he had a stroke last year. He has never seen it before.

If I could put you in my pocket

I would wrap you in a red snugly

            And dress you in your gray sweat pants

            And the tan socks with the rubber skid proof pads

I would tuck you in my shirt pocket

            The one sewn over my heart

And I would bring you home

I would bring you home where I could see you often

            And sing with you

            And remember the old stories of our youth

            And eat oyster dressing and barbecue and Mother’s chili

At home the chords of our family bind us closely

            In sweet harmony and shared values and mutual affections and love, love, love

If I could put you in my pocket

            We could travel the days of aging together

            Share our faith, our fears, our laughter

We could brag on our children and grandchildren together

            And we could laugh at the day to come

If I could put you in my pocket

            I would never let you move away again.

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