My Father Like Lincoln Poem by Shalom Freedman

MY FATHER LIKE LINCOLN

My father like Lincoln
Lean and tall and dark and depressed
A man capable of simple and great kindnesses-

My father scribbled
On the back of his envelopes
Junk prices-
No Gettysburg Address,
No Second Inaugural
Dollars for deals.


My father weary from work recited himself to sleep,
From the copper- slim volume of Lincoln’s words,
Or the wisdom of Pirke Avot,
No full rest and relief
From never becoming
Like railsplitter Abe
The Greatness he should have been.

And I the son
Now an old man
Far far away
In gratitude for the awkward grace
Of their Integrity,
Write these words of Praise and Love
In their Memory.
.