A man of phrases (needs editing)

by Kristopher

Posted to Poetry on 2004-04-18 19:28:00

He would call them all “hun”, my father to every female waitress or sales clerk. He would yell to other drivers with phrases like “cant get any greener if you water it!” or “What are you searching for, a clue?”.

“Dog shit mother fucker” was a common term, sometimes shortened to just plain old “dog shit”. He had his favorite phrases allright, some reflected his trucker life, and some just his borrowed wit. With all his favorites, he must have said “I’m sorry” the most.

He had a lot to be sorry about, from theft to drug addiction, and “no” was another entry in his log book lexicon. Denial and appologies, were his daily bread.
He would allways say “don’t make me use a belt” when we started to get out of hand, but he never was forced to act.

He would call me “krisso” with cigerette lips, and my sister was “mo mo” which reflected nothing of her name. A man of phrases, my father, but lately he has been saying things I have never heard him say before. From miles away his letters bare appologies that for once are genuine.