Michael Estabrook

"You’re not going to believe this but, I’m in my mid-fifties and just got my first tattoo! My beautiful daughter Robin, who has a tattoo of a shiny blue dolphin (on her upper thigh) encouraged me, “Come’ on Dad you have to do it!” So now there are two romantic red roses (drawn by my wife) nestled in a bed of green leaves perched on my left shoulder. My other beautiful daughter, Laura, is simply relieved I didn’t get a Mike-Loves-Patti tattoo. (Patti is too.)"

Fast

for Lisa

I stood and watched the train go by fast, so fast,

a blurry streak against the cold blackness

of the night, the stars above bright,

twinkling as stars do,

the snow below frozen hard, hard

as fossils beneath my feet.

I stood and watched the speeding train

thinking of my life going by fast, so fast,

a blurry streak like paint

smeared in a hurry

across eternity.

peaceful Saturday evening

in Framingham, Massachusetts

 How did we ever get here,

ever get this far in life, I’m wondering,

sitting on the soft sofa in our daughter’s

cozy living room watching

the poker championship on TV

as Patti gently rocks the baby,

feeding her her final bottle before sleep,

watching her eyes

closing, closing, almost asleep

to dream peacefully here

at the beginning of her little life, dream

of who knows what – blue mornings,

pink blankets, furry kittens,

creamy cereal, warm baths, mother’s

soothing song? She’s certainly not dreaming

60 years from now, putting her own

granddaughter to bed

on a peaceful Saturday evening

in Framingham, Massachusetts