Giuseppe

An old man the years have left him bald and gray
He only has memories now of far away
And the town where he first looked on the lamp of day
Where many of his life's early friends at peace now do lay

At peace in their native earth forever more
In the old cemetery above the ocean shore
Where his parents and siblings lay in eternal repose
It is not his destiny to grow old in his hometown one has to suppose

At twenty Giuseppe left his coastal hometown in southern Italy
In May in the Spring of nineteen fifty three
Fell in love with and married the now deceased Kate his brown haired Australian wife
The mother of his children Dino and Claudia and his soul mate for life

On the beach jetty on evening that are fine
I often see Giuseppe fishing with rod and line
A contented old fellow free of conceit and guile
He always does greet me with a toothy smile

Locally Giuseppe is well liked and well known
Since Kate died six years ago he lives on his own
An octogenarian great grandfather decades past his physical prime
In this southern Land he will run out of time.