I wish I were your TV

That you watch

So ardently

Or even a grandchild

That you hold even

With your eyes

But what can’t be explained

Is that just next to you

I am glad

FXC. 3/7/08

Don’t know when

Closets became an issue to me

Specifically our closet

Didn’t seem to complicated

To merge yours with mine

In one closet

Neither seemed to be clothes hogs

So I don’t know when

There seemed to be less space

For my clothes

There I’ve said it

So ignorant

Maybe when we got a place

With two closets

One beckoned to be filled

I don’t think so

Just another area bereft of thought

For me

How could I not notice

That gradually I was seeking

Niches here

Niches there

Man caves weren’t in vogue yet

‘Place of my own’ maybe?

Your clothes always seemed

To take precedent

They were more tasteful

Mine were to cover flaws

And you know once

Out of the closet

I was never going to get back in

So this is it

Not till years later

Overhearing a conversation

Between women of course

I heard the term, ‘his closet’

What? What?

There should be a book for men

A primer as it were

There is no GPS for marriage

But men need direction

And you know that

I’m just saying

FXC 3/2019

Today I do not stand before you

However I would not leave you bereft

Of my last known observations

Let it be clear that my joy

Is due to you all

Living a life of faith

My steps, my families’ steps

Have all been assisted

With your outstretched arms

In prayer, in gifts, in time

My journey has been with you all

A blessed journey it has been

From my family,

From my Passionist family

And with you all

I do stand now

Awaiting my next call to duty

You have prepared me well

I will be eternally grateful

Pax Te Cum

Francis Xavier Cameron 3/18/19

Five years now

Just memories

Powerful memories

Of you

My two sons bear your name

Ironic that you helped watch one

And helped another one heal

Myself, you were huge

Yes, yes a half a foot taller than I

But your graciousness

Humor, wit and musicality

Engaged allNh

But mostly I remember

A man not critical of others

Who allowed me to grow

In my responsibilities

As a father and

Husband to his daughter

Many, many memories

Ultimate home repair man,

Sweet, sweet father

Incredible repertoire of songs

Singing at any moment

Listening conversationalist

A man adoring his wife

Who you left for us

Thank you

Though the whole world may not

Have known you

Those of us who did

Have had blessed lives

Thank you, thank you

Eternally yours

FXC 3/16/19

Just walking down the hall

Saw you preening

In front of the mirror

Smiling

Giggling

Looking up

Then down

Seemingly amazed

By your face

As if for the first time

You were shocked

By how good looking you are

Good reason for that

Youth, youth, youth

Oh yeah and 9 years old

And you are simply beautiful

Grandchildren often are

However a mirror has two sides

I had forgotten the purpose of a mirror

Never knew I had one

A mirror

Just popped up in the morning

Ran my hand over my head

Patting down wayward hair

Mmm I looked good

So many years

I loved me

Young

Free

Healthy

I was my own dream

Problems

Were brushed away

With youthful energy

Only imperceptibly

Did an occasional

Indicator of age

Creep into the back of my mind

To be ignored with the blink of an eye

Only time, relentless time

Would open my eyes

To the gradual erosion

Of my youth

Spent middle age

Pleasantly pleased

With holding my own

Enjoying a moment

Of contrived acceptance

But now as my clock

Winds down

The wind doesn’t

Really catch my sails

I don’t scramble

To correct

What Mother Nature

Has eroded

But oh can I steal a moment

Back, just one

A glance maybe at yesteryear

Maybe Brylcream will show my shine

Or a different haircut

Of my receding hairline

Long gone are hopes

Of a tight midsection

I look around and now only see

The very young or

All my compatriots

But so strange

The mirror is only one side of the coin

The flip side is

The sweetness, the satisfaction

Watching your grandmother’s face

Of fifty years, no mirror

Just her face

Reflecting mine

I love her mirror!

FXC. 3/16/19

Wish I knew then

What I hope I know now

That each moment

Is just that

To be embraced

Enjoyed or suffered

Learning

That there are not infinite moments

No guarantee on success or failure

Blessed or curse

Makes a person

Wonder

Is there a divine plan

Or a crap shoot

People elbowing

Each other to survive

But still

Some hell bent on themselves

But others missioned to help others

Maybe that is the real story

The eternal struggle between good and evil

Possible we will never know

As our final destination

Is yet to be known

Hope springs

From my heart

That good will prevail

“To Dream The Impossible Dream”

FXC 3/2/19

Surreal

Daily we would speak

Morning and night

Then silence

Absolute silence

It might be forever

Before I hear

From you again

As I try to piece

Together where

We were in our

Conversations

Exchanging daily

Activities and plans

Mostly happy

To have someone to

Listen

If I stay real quiet

I can still hear you

Playing over and over

Your gentle musings

Your heart felt queries

About me and mine

So long it seems we had

Each other

Now only memories

Remain

Regina Regina

Really you just shared

Yourself with others

You helped mold and guide

Students family and friends

With your example and love

My heart cries

To hear you again

But I know, I know

Now I must listen

As I learned from you

For those calling me

Always Always

I love you

Frank 2/20/19

Again I hear the refrain,

Vote for me

Follow this path to the Lord

This is good for you

This is bad for you

Don’t eat that

He’s too fat

She’s too skinny

They are the Antichrist

As long as Man/ Woman has walked the earth

Love, Hate have coexisted

Seemingly impervious

To that inconsistency

Pick a century and

Watch the most

Beautiful aspects of humans

Caring, self-sacrifice or

The most vicious side

Killing, denigrating, terrifying evil

It seems to this lost soul

The battle between good and evil

Never ends

fxc 10/14/18

We have been here before

At a funeral home on a cold week day night

Yes, yes he’s a good friend of ours, so is his wife

But at 66 it had to be

He is not with us anymore

The end for so long seemed so far away

No thought was given to it

The whole scene

Distraught family and friends

Seeking answers when there are none

Our understanding of death still cloaked

In the mystery of life itself

Not much more to say

FXC 2/24/18

Skittering
Across my shoes
As I walk
Wrinkled and crinkled
Weightless brown leaves
Seemingly so full of life
Blowing so quickly
As to be out of view
Wisked by the wind
Makes me happy to walk
Greeting the deepest part of fall
The leaves define this moment
But what of the spring of their life
Waving valiantly in the sky
Hanging out of reach so high
Like a child’s crayon box
The seasons are etched
In your ever changing colors
Like a kite in spring
To a hang glider
Destined to land
Your life, you share
And then die
To dance in the street
Thank you
My ever humble friend

FXC

12/19/17