A Poem by my Dad

PATHS

By Jack Cooper (written at age 85!)

©2010

The other night as I lay in bed thought after thought danced through my head

I laid there wondering where I’d be today had I taken another path during my early journey’s way

Have you ever wished you could go back in time? Start all over again when you were in your prime?

If I had taken that path I bypassed before  - heaven only knows what might’ve been in store

I might’ve made it big on the stage or screen – Maybe won an Oscar in the Hollywood scene.

I was good at sports – at the top of my game. Had I stuck to that path – might I been in the Hall of Fame?

 I loved to travel, explore foreign lands  - maybe search for treasure buried deep in the sand

Or taken the High Sierra road  -  I might’ve found that Mother Lode!

If I studied harder to become more wise  -  I might’ve been a scientist, won the Nobel  Peace Prize

Ah, yes, if only I’d taken a different lane - I might have wound up with fortune and fame

I leaned back on my pillow and pondered some more. Then dozed off to sleep – back to the days of yore

Instead of dreaming of glory and fame - my dreams took me down a perilous lane

I was on a path that that led into harm’s way  - leading me only toward danger and dismay

No Hall of Fame, no big prize – no award.  No treasure chest found washed up on the shore

I was lonely and homeless and roaming the streets  -  Begging for food with no place to sleep

I woke up and I sat on the edge of my bed  -  shaking and sweating from my toes to my head

I sat for a moment glancing around the room  -  trying to clear my head of the misery and gloom

With a sigh of relief I realized how lucky I’ve been  -  that I did take the right path way back when

I’ve struggled at times with some bumps along the way. But I’ve made it safely to where I am today. 

I’m blessed with a family I’d  never trade  away - and have wonderful friends I’ve met along the way

One may choose to be happy – or envious and sad - left dreaming of the treasures you might’ve had

But I do have my treasures on this glorious day!  I just have to look at things in a much different way

Tomorrow will be the beginning of another day  - I just hope I choose the right path along my long journey’s way.

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About Jack

Jack Cooper was born in Pennsylvania and moved to Detroit, Michigan with his family when he was a young boy. His father played Sax and Clarinet and was a big band leader from about 1920 - 1950.  My Dad also played in Big Bands during the swing era and when he joined the Navy during World War II he was stationed up in Alaska and played Sax and Clarinet in the Navy band. 

After the war and as music shifted from Big Band to Rock n' Roll (and also recorded music) there was no longer a need for large bands to play at clubs and in theatres.  My Dad married my mom in 1949 and he pretty much gave up playing music in order to support his growing family. He worked for 32 years at a job that was certainly not his 'dream job' but he was incredibly responsible and disciplined.  Never missed a mortgage payment, never racked up credit card debt, never abandoned us, not for one minute - that's just the kind of man he was and continues to be. 

Currently, besides writing poetry he and my mom are 'pickers'!  They buy collectables and artwork at garage sales and then re-sell them and they do amazingly well with it! 

My Dad retired about thirty years ago. Since then, he and my mom have gone on about 24 cruises!!  The photo of him above was taken just last month during our cruise to Hawaii. 

I'm very grateful to have been blessed with such a great Dad (and Mom too).  Today is Father's Day and I'm thinking of my Dad and wishing I could be with him.  

I'd like to wish all the Dads out there a wonderful Father's Day today!