Conversation with My Aunt

The role of the poet is to take snapshots of a reality, even though it may be totally invented. If successful, the result is a real snippet of a thought of a conversation a long time ago, from a character’s perspective.  This poem is by Karl Dobson, the newest member of the Boys of Lambda Sigma Chi. Dobson, was nominated by his friend, Brother Adrian Parker.  Karl started out as a journalist, and after graduation from BSU in 1979, went from small town papers to being a medical reporter for 10 years.  He was so into helping people that he decided to become a healer, first as a nurse and now as a physician’s assistant, the closest thing be actually being an M.D.  I suspect the lower pay in journalism may have contributed as a motive to a second career. The moves to Karl’s current position lead him on a journey to several towns and cities in several states, and Adrian lost contact. Through the World of Words by Elias Tobias, and a popular social network on the Internet, they found each other with Karl landing in Texas. He is working in Austin making  the big bucks. Karl presented a portfolio of poetry, forwarded by Adrian, and now the Sigma Chi’s are eight.  The boys welcome their new member.

Try to imaging how this aunt really was, and how she once looked. 

Conversation with my Aunt

“Pepper, Pepper, my Dear,” my aunt
  said to me.
“Never, ever, fall in love with a man
  who loves the sea.”
“They say they will love you forever,
  then let you be,”
“I loved a sailor once and just look
  what happened to me.”
“I looked in her tearing eyes that were
  seeing life at about eighty.
I was young then, and I thought she
  probably was right,
but what she didn’t say was falling
 would be such a delight.
I went to a dance while I was in high
 school on a Saturday night.
His name was Carlos, and he was a
  handsome, salty sight.
I couldn’t get over his muscles developed
 for one of his height.
Later we talked about having a big family,
  and we had a big fight.
When he signed on a merchant ship
 the next day, I saw the light.
“Pepper, Pepper, my Dear,” my aunt
  said to me.
“Never, ever, fall in love with a man
  who loves the sea.”
“They say they will love you forever,
  then let you be,”
My aunt has since passed away,
 but in me her words still live.
She told me the meaning of what it was
 like to love and how to give.  

“Pepper, Pepper, my Dear,” my aunt
  said to me.
“Never, ever, fall in love with a man
  who loves the sea.”
“They say they will love you forever,
  then let you be,”
“I loved a sailor once and just look
  what happened to me.”
“I looked in her tearing eyes that were
  seeing life at about eighty.
I was young then, and I thought she
  probably was right,
but what she didn’t say was falling
 would be such a delight.
I went to a dance while I was in high
 school on a Saturday night.
His name was Carlos, and he was a
  handsome, salty sight.
I couldn’t get over his muscles developed
 for one of his height.
Later we talked about having a big family,
  and we had a big fight.
When he signed on a merchant ship
 the next day, I saw the light.
“Pepper, Pepper, my Dear,” my aunt
  said to me.
“Never, ever, fall in love with a man
  who loves the sea.”
“They say they will love you forever,
  then let you be,”
My aunt has since passed away,
 but in me her words still live.
She told me the meaning of what it was
 like to love and how to give.