TOM

 

An elegy

From parts of our past

 

You said he was sick 

And you were there, Marlene 

Taking care

My imagination limits me

 

O-o-h

 

I did not see him suffer

Waste away, I guess

That dynamic vibrant guy I will always remember

 

With over a half century of connections ripped away

Can your pain be fathomed?

Not by me

Ten times +++ the 5 ½ years I lost in 1967

+++ the kids and grandkids, all that life wearied

 

O-o-h

 

It’s too early to talk about new beginnings

Too early for hope

It is still about the loss

Let your grieving flow

 

My whole being groans for you

 

Tom is here

In my heart

As he has been 

Since the day we freshmen walked up five flights of stairs

Lugging golf clubs

Up Benet Hall

 

 

 

 

For four years we exchanged

Golf for the love of learning

Thanks to Tom I learned to study

And a great deal more

The camaraderie of college life

 

And my admiration for his career and family

Well done

 

Always here

In my heart

 

Dennis Keefe

April 7, 2021