Red's Chameleon Eyes

I wrote this poem about my dads death for my College Writing Class

It was 1995 when you lived in Kansas City
I was eight and you were twenty-eight
The heat felt like a raging sun,
You took me to Sonic
And I ate cookies and crème.

Your name was Joe but everyone called you "Red"
Your skin was like caramel ice cream
Your eyes were brown
But sometimes they changed colors
like a chameleons.

On weekends you took me to Mickie D's
in your white Cadillac. You taught me how to
ride my pink Barbie bike
I felt like Princess Jasmine.

We spent July in Truman Hospital
The doctors said "you’re not getting better"
I stood with my head down
Against the off color yellow wall

I remember your last night
You pulled plastic straws out of your nose
Later that night Porsha told me you’re dead
Around the living room with my head down I walk eight times
Tiara and Porsha were crying
I finally went to my room and buried my head in tweety bird

I remember sitting on the rugged church pews
You were in a brown casket wearing a white suit
Porsha was crying
Your sister was running and screaming
There was a blue jay in the window
My mom was holding my hands
As we walked to view your body
I push up on my tippy toes to kiss you goodbye

We drove home in your Cadillac
There was a dead robin on the front steps
I cried all night on moms lap

On your birthday, I had a dream
Of dead birds falling,
Thunder storms and clouds
Swallow your body
It seemed like the sun
Would never to shine again