A reflective look at my life so far.

Once a baby, I later happily co-created three of my own.
My childhood was school, sports, the dime ice cream cone.
Always a good student, I became a med school teacher.
As a youth, I never imagined all my life would feature.

I’m a son and father, nephew and uncle, brother and cousin,
both by blood and, as in-law, with more relatives by the dozen.
Husband at nineteen, fathered three wonderful children, then
divorced, married again – I tried to live right and without sin.

I left the U of Georgia to join the Army’s war in Vietnam.
A laboratory officer, I remained safe from bullet and bomb.
I learned to command men and take orders from higher up.
For the first time, I had the responsibility of being grownup.

Back to graduate school, where I Ph.D.ed in microbiology.
A Canadian fellowship taught me to hate snow without apology.
Back to the south to Shreveport, Louisiana for a faculty position,
I taught and performed research to fulfill my scientific ambition.

During these years I married my second wife, gaining a stepson.
Being a stepfather meant many battles lost, with few battles won.
Linda and I remained totally in love, each other’s true soul mate.
I’ve finally learned that each individual determines his own fate.

Many titles I’ve held: master, mister, captain, doctor, professor,
scientist, teacher, author, and poet – I’m proudly the possessor.
The best titles of all are simply husband, parent, and, to five
of the next generation, granddad. (Grandkids keep your name alive.)

I’ve lived outside American borders twice, visited eight or nine
countries, and think America more than any other does shine.
I’ve reached a good place in my life – happy in retirement;
with a wonderful wife, great children, I know contentment.