Poem: Ode To Uncle Don

My father’s sister’s husband
Passed away of late.
After years of long struggle
Rest has finally come.
Genetic ticking time bomb
Waiting in his heart.
Threatened to steal him from us
These past thirty years or so.
Knowledge and science
Advances in meds and tech
Blessing of the Spirit
Defied death’s clenching grasp.
I will always remember
His great wit.
Open curiosity.
Delight in learning
And sharing.
The summer days we spent
Once every year
Riding in a houseboat
Across the open water.
He was very much
The captain of that ship.
I remember every Christmas
We gathered at his abode.
How he always treated us
With great respect and kindness.
Godspeed
Uncle Don.
Until we meet again.