BETTER DAYS

by marty liboff

Thoughts of better days-
my mom cooking spaghetti & meatballs in the kitchen
the sounds of pots and pans and dishes banging
and the sweet smells of oregano and garlic cooking…
My dad coming home tired from work-
and turning on I Love Lucy on TV
with the whole family laughing to Lucy’s crazy antics…
The parakeets tweeting
and the cat and dog waiting for a meal
or for something yummy to fall on the floor.
My mom’s old record player and records-
singing songs of Mario Lanza, Al Jolson, Dean Martin,
Connie Francis, Johnny Mathis and Andy Williams.
My brother driving me nuts-
him learning how not to play the violin
and his stupid pals picking on me.
A house alive with talking, yelling, singing, laughing and love…
Now the old pots and pans are silent-
Lucy is still on TV
but she and my parents are only dreams of long ago.
Sadness and melancholy entomb me
back when times were different.
when my biggest worry was getting to school on time
and will the new Twilight Zone be scary this week.
Now the house is silent-
my parent’s ghosts watch from the corners
layers of dust cover their silly treasures
photos of the dead peer into my soul asking me
now what shall you do with the rest of your life
what to do and where shall you go?
The sounds of the rain break the silence of the grave-
the dead talking in the wind and rain drops
saying go on, go on with life
life, breath, and your song is all you have
make the best of it with as much love, tears and laughter
as you can…