family poem

what a funny pair they are
my mother and father
my dad was born in harvey, illinois
he grew up on the south side of chicago
moved to new york
then california
illinois again somewhere in there

his dad was a drunk; a lush; a good-for-nothing
alcoholic
who wasted his God-given artistic talent
on drinks.
he wasted his money on
beer
paying off things he never should have bought:
a camper, a motorcyle, waterskis
paying off countless car accidents
that happened while under the influence
it's a miracle he never killed anyone
that's what my dad always says

my grandma didn't go to college
but she worked hard
she made the best of an unfortunate marriage
an unfortunate marriage that produced
five children. one of which was
extremely badly behaved;
my father.

my mother, on the other hand.
born in england.
england; God save the queen.
moved to huntington beach, right near the beach
when she was a kid.
her mom a beautiful, proper englishwoman.
her dad a removed, cold man from
new zealand of all places.

my mother had two brothers
one half-sister
her younger brother david died
when he was 23
when i was just 1 or 2.
my mom's mother also worked hard
in a marriage to a man named Steele
and he was just as cold, unfeeling, and unbendable as steel
it's a fitting name.

the only few things my parents have in common:
intelligence
the ability work incredibly hard
selflessness
an absent father

they met playing
trivial pursuit
my father the college grad
three of the kids in his family
made it to college
which is quite remarkable, really

he, fresh out of college
an engineer
my mom also fresh out of college
a teacher

she thought he was funny
he thought she was nice.
and pretty.

their differences:
he loves bruce springsteen
she loves billy joel and classical
he loves the White Sox, the Jets, the Lakers
she hates all sports
he loves math.
she loves english.

on and on.
point being.
opposites really do attract.
and i'm glad they do.