The Giant Who Took Small Steps A Father's Day Tribute Dante A Cinelli   © Copyright 2023 by Dante A. Cinelli

Photo by Brett Sayles at Pexels.

THE ROAD OF HIS TRAVELS SHUNNED ANY LIGHT FROM FAME’S DOOR.

NOW I KNOW, IT NEVER ENTERED HIS MIND; HE TOOK SMALL STEPS

PLANTED FIRMLY IN THE GROUND. I NEVER NOTICED, BLISSFULLY IGNORANT,

AS THE PROLIFIC  ROOTS OF MY YOUTH SPREAD QUICKLY.

BUT WHAT WAS HIS MOTIVATION?WHAT MADE THOSE SMALL STEPS SO FIRM?

SEMINALLY, LIKE THE SLOW DRIP OF A STALAGMITE,

THE YEARS REVEALED I WAS WATCHING A STEADFAST, iMMUTABLE GOAL OF A

DIMINUATIVE MAN, PERHAPS  IN STATURE, BUT AS A PURPOSFUL GIANT.

HE WALKED THIS EARTH AS SCORES OF MILLIONS BEFORE HIM QUIETLY…………silently

EFFECTING NO HEROIC FEATS, BUT PRODIGIOUSLY NECESSARY SIMPLE THINGS,

PROVIDING AN IMMIGRANT FAMILY WITH FOOD, SHELTER AND WARMTH FROM

A COLD LAND OF WANT TO THIS MECCA OF PLENTY… AS HUMANKIND HELD ITS

BREATH TO THE DRUMS AND VIBRATIONSOF MARCHING TROOPS AND DRUMS

OF WAR… AND WHEN THE VORTEX HAD PASSED AND FLOWERS OF YOUTH LAY

STREWN ON THE LANDS GIVING RISE TO EVER BURGEONING MILITARY CEMETERIES

AND THEN ……………………………………………….silence……………………silence………………

of peace and life returned, we lived our lives again

BUT WHAT OF THE GIANTS I MUSED ABOUT????

MY GIANT DIED IN 1966.

I CARRIED HIM DOWN THREE FLIGHTS OF STAIRS TO MY CAR, THEN TO

AN EMERGENCY ROOM. HE PASSED A DAY LATER, MY FATHER, MY GIANT.