GRANDPA CHARLIE

 I never knew my mom's father Charlie.

He died a few years before she married and had me.

If he'd been alive, I might not even be--

Dad was not everyone's cup of tea.

Mom says Grandpa was easy going and laid back.

She never saw him lose his temper or swear.

He bought farmland with his younger brother,

And they both did their equal share.

Everyone liked Grandpa Charlie, he was a kind and honest man.

He had the good sense to marry my Grandma, she was a special woman.

The only close-up picture of his face hung in Grandma's room.

We have it now that she is gone, mom says we'll hang it soon.

I can see some of his features in mom.

But she looks a lot like Grandma too.

She's a complete, natural blend of those two.

I sometiimes ask mom if she thinks Grandpa would have liked me.

She says yes, he'd probably think I was mischief like she used to be.

I shouldn't say used to be--

She's still pretty mischievous, that's how it came to me. 

No one is perfect, but Grandpa was known as a good man.

I wish he'd lived so I could know him, to sit in his lap,

Have talks with him about his family and how he grew up--

Or even hold his hand.