Carl Stilwell AKA Caloki

To Luke on His 56th Birthday 

Almost 10 years since 

your body left us

Pie ‘N Burger still there 

but Coco’s gone

Sigh

Speaking of pies 

Too much pastry belly 

hanging over 38 size 

waist Levis along with too 

many pounds over 200 

and I’m only 5’9”

I know

How am I going to denounce 

fat cats in my poetry when 

I’m one myself?

Jesus Christ Superstar!

The King almost 40 

just scored 40,000 points!

A half century 

younger than me

I’m 89 

Still walking the line 

but need walker to shop 

and CPAP to sleep

Like the Beatles sang,

I get by with a little help 

from my friends

But hey, I’m younger than 

Noam Chomsky who’s 

perceptive and insightful as 

ever but I wouldn’t be 

surprised one bit if he 

sometimes puts ice cream 

in fridge instead of freezer 

and always looking for his 

misplaced cell phone like me

Instead of visiting us in my dream 

last night, you were living with us 

and you and I were shopping in 

South Pasadena, your hometown

56 years since you came into 

the world and made my life

Thank you for being my son