Rollie, Amy, and Bob, July 1984
Pre-Wedding Surprise (Rollie, Part I)
What a night
Jo and Rollie drove down
from our hometown to NYC
We chowed Chinese, then
scrabbled cross Canal
A little Italian style
La Bella Ferrara
Sinatra-stacked juke
“Summer Wind” as we
strolled in for cannoli
Surprise! Down the block
in full swing was
the San Genaro Festival
Smiling street vendors
Splendy Christmas lights
Rides, rides, rides
Rollie, Bob and I fly
spinning on the Twirl N Puke
Bob’s brother Roy
brought his camera and
just for fun, with arms
stretched above his head,
snapped photos – but didn’t
know what would develop
Who would know he’d
hit the jackpot shot
Four years later,
Rollie was gone gone gone
This happenstance photo
is how he lives on
© 2014 Amy Barlow Liberatore/Sharp Little Pencil
This is the first of a TRIPTYCH about Rollie. If you want to read more, I just posted #2m and the third will probably go up Tuesday or Wednesday. Check back then if you wish!
dverse Poets asked for poems with repeated words or phrases. This was written yesterday, so I suppose it was meant to be! Also submitting to Imaginary Garden With Real Toads’ Open Link Monday.
Bob (now Rob) was my first husband, father of Riley. His brother Roy has the most incredible luck – timing – he’s a drummer! Rollie was my sister Jo’s husband; more about him as we go through a three-day reflection on a sweet man who died suddenly – and far too soon. Check out the pic again and see the big man with the big heart. Peace, Amy
Sharp Little Pencil 
claudia
oh i’m sorry for your loss amy… love how you bring him alive and the carefree mood of those moments lived and spent together… life is so fragile…we def. should inhale and enjoy every single minute of its precious scent…
http://vivinfrance.wordpress.com
A great way to remember someone special. The happiness shines through.
vandana
People go away but there sweet memories always live in our hearts:)
pandamoniumcat
Such a lovely photo, everyone is so happy…great to have such memories.
Grace
I’m sorry for your loss Amy ~ Lucky that you still have this precious photo to remind you of happy times ~ Your faces certainly show it, smiles ~
Sumana Roy
a jovial mood suddenly numbed into a mute silence…so shocking…so sorry for your loss Amy…the fond memories will live on…
brian miller
i am glad you had the times…have the picture to remind you of him…life changes so fast…and we never know what to expect…nor how long we have been given with those we love…
Roger Green
But you had fun, fun, fun…(Beach Boys stuck in my head; Brian Wilson’s birthday today AND I wrote W for Wilson brothers.) Glad you have the memory.
Walt Wojtanik
What a tender memory! It is like an embrace that no one wants to break free of without losing it forever. But, you’ve written it so well it will remain in memory with whatever fondness you attach to it, and we share in that joy AND sorrow together. Thanks for introducing us to that piece of you. It makes me remember those I have lost with more warmth! Thank you Amy. And thanks for popping over to “TTEOAPH”
kaykuala
It is so much fun looking at old pics! Sorry to hear of your loss. The fact that pics are there that one forgets the sadness but remember the good times of their presence! Wonderful take Amelita!
Hank
Sherry Blue Sky
A photo of happiness. Love the story of holding the camera aloft and hitting the money shot. All the more meaningful, as he so soon would be gone. Sobering. I look forward to the next installment of this big-hearted man.
Tony Maude
There’s a fabulous energy in this, Amy. The contrast between ride, ride, ride and gone, gone, gone is stark.
Snakypoet (Rosemary Nissen-Wade)
Clearly such a wonderful memory, and blessed happenstance.
CreativeLF
Tell me more, ’cause I love how you tell it.
Björn Rudberg (brudberg)
How come that the lightness of a poem makes the message come through all the more stronger? .. The way you mimic a merry-go-round with your words really make it all the sadder .. the loss of the gone, gone, gone… this could be set to a dark song I think…
J Cosmo Newbery
Bitter sweet. There is an acceptance but a pervasive sadness.
My belated effort (I missed the cut off) is here.
Sharp Little Pencil
Cos, thanks for commenting, and I did check out your link. I LOVE when folks leave links; I don’t think of it as “promoting your site.” I consider it a roadmap to something you want me to see. Thanks! Amy
Kerry O'Connor
Good to see you writing again. I read this as a celebration of a life and time gone by.
Timoteo
The ol’ “Twirl And P:uke”
I remember it well, and so do those who were standing below!
georgeplace2013
Thank goodness for pictures and sweet memories.
Colleen
Such a whirlwind. I almost want to snap my fingers as I read. The ending gave me goosebumps.
Susie Clevenger (@wingsobutterfly)
Such precious memories…sorry for your loss.
Ella
I am so happy we can visit our memories-thanks to photos! This is bittersweet-remember the happy! I am happy you are writing again, too!
Jim
This needed to be written, Amy. (And you did it very well.) First, so you could go through it again and share. Second to tell us to treasure old photographs and do look at them occasionly for family memories to be stimulated. I remember my grandfather from repeated stories and from some pictures that are in the family.
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