Father, Old Man,
Storyteller
My father, Albert E. Yahnke, was born in 1908 and died in 1995. He was diagnosed with lung cancer about three months before he died. At his funeral I showed a tray of slides (some of them reprinted here) and shared this poem I had written during his illness. I'm the youngest member of the family, the professor, the writer, and so it was not unexpected that I would provide the eulogy for my father. I had done the same for my mother, when she died in 1981. I think the poem speaks to the many roles my father experienced in his life, and I think it suggests something about his character and values.
Father, old man, storyteller,
Itinerant laborer, hired man, hobo,
Oldest son, faithful son, respecter of persons,
Night shifter,
welder,
hard worker,
talker...
Deer hunter,
Fisherman,
Guide,
Cane poler of bullheads,
Driver of rusted-out Chevrolets,
Renter,
Debtor,
Farmer,
Planter of vegetable gardens,
Honer of hoes,
Picker of blackberries, blueberries, cherries...
Afternoon napper,
Sitter in his favorite chair,
Viewer of Gunsmoke and Sunday Packer games,
Feeder of scraps to cats and seeds to birds, chipmunks, and squirrels,
Devourer of shish-kabob, barbecue, and kosher dills...
Boss,
task-setter,stand taker,
yielder,
follower,
painter, builder,
mender, repairer, fixer,
learner, belly laugher...
Listener, audience of one,
Affirmer,
Reconciler,
Mispronouncer of names--
- cultivator of rozberries,
- fan of Calvin and Hob-bees,
- admirer of "petunies" and "ephesians..."
Believer,
Student of the Bible,
Recorder of verses,
Husband,
Controller,
Punisher,
Provider,
Father.
The Great Circle of Life--Home Page
Text of The Great Circle
of Life: A Resource Guide to Films and Videos on Aging, copyright ©
1987, 1999, 2005, Robert E. Yahnke. All photographs copyrighted by Robert E.
Yahnke. All rights reserved. Contact author for permission to copy
photographs or reprint portions of text.