Small glossy photo,

Shown are two men

Presumably in a park

I hold it up for

Closer inspection

And ask my mother

About the picture

On the left

Is a sturdy man

Broad shoulder, long hair

Tattoos covering

The visible parts

Of his arms

Wearing jeans

A black t-shirt

A frayed sleeveless

Denim jacket

Covered in patches

And incongruously

A dark fedora

Complete with feather

This is my father

To his right

Is an elderly man

I do not recognize

He is wearing

A very smart

Gray suit

Complete with tie

And dress shoes

He also wears

A brown leather

Riding cap

That I’ve seen

A thousand times before

I know this hat

The sight, the smell

The feel of the

Worn leather

Know it like a long lost friend

Behind them is a bench

And several trees

Dotting the grassy landscape

I ask my mother again

About the photo

She takes it from me

With a strange glimmer

In her eye

That I’ve never

Before witnessed

She tells me of

A motorcycle run

That she and my father

Participated in

While living in Germany

My parents

So much younger then

Came upon the

Older man in a park

My father did not yet

Know much of their language

But was patient

Using many gestures

And convinced this man

A stranger

To trade hats with him

And pose arm in arm

For this picture

That my mother took

She laughs quietly

Remembering

This act was so

In character

For that young rebel

To whom she gave

Her heart

I remember him well

And miss him

Daily

I am caught unaware

When I stumble upon this memory

That was not mine

I am glad

She shared it

With me

For even though

I remember him

And knew him well

I still hunger

To know more and more

About this man

Who was my hero

I realize that

Any new stories

I hear about him

Will have to come

From the memories of others

Until that time

When I reunite

With him

At the pearly gates

Then I will have

Eternity

To learn all about him

And tell him

Of my life since

He had gone

I will have eternity

To hear his voice again

Feel his hugs

Share our memories

And forge our bond

Anew