BIG JOHN_'96_a poem

this is something i wrote to john k.,

who has helped me a lot

1996

I remember I was at Bill’s Place
You were the tallest guy I did see
I just had to go and ask you
“will you give your phone number to me?”
you gave me a big grin, a laugh, my hand you did shake
my loneliness slipped away that night
because another friend I did make

when you, so quietly, sneaked your wife’s bankcard out of her purse
to go out at night for a little rum
I’ll bet the next morning, when you woke up w/all the money gone
You said “oh, higher power, what have I done”

When Sarah found out about what you did
Came to you screaming, crying, throwing dishes – she said
“where’s the money, john, the gig is up”
I’ll bet you wished you were dead

When times get tough, as they sometimes do
“I don’t care no more” you may think
We all pray you stop!!!
think of how much we need you here and say
“will anything really get better if I take a drink”

it really doesn’t matter how tall you are
that first drink you take---real fast---you’ll get pretty small
and remember—
we all know that big, big, big heart of yours is the best part of all
so thanks for your love and acceptance and so much more
you’re the greatest--- and still the tallest
at the meetings