HELPLESS

      the sight of Uncle Joe lying there

           frail  -  terminal

      the memory of how he used to be

      that old house on Besserer

      we down from the country

          "Come here you little farmers!"

           he'd say  -  laughing  -  chasing

      tickling till we'd squeal for mercy

      a parking lot now sits where that house used to be

      you and the family down from Kitchener

      on one of those spontaneous visits

                       nieces teasing  -  begging me to chase them

      hard to believe you and I once fought incessantly

       odd couple brothers

                       now unable to get enough of one another

      seeing Uncle Joe  -  having you back again

      a late night wish for us all to be young again

                       freshly moved to Ottawa

                       the smell of a brand new house

                       in a brand new neighbourhood

      memories  -  still waiting to happen

                       we're fortunate

      the house is still mom and dad's

      though the kids are grown up and gone

     © 1994  Chris Sorrenti

     Bottom photo of Joe Sorrenti © 1975 by author