Trying to Keep My Father Safe in the Time of Covid-19
by Gail Goepfert
At 97, hasn’t he survived it all.
Rolled all the dice. Laid it all on the line.
World War II. Battle of the Bulge.
Baths taken from his helmet in foxholes.
Reckless teen years of three children.
Gallbladder, sinus, cataract surgery.
Job loss and transfers. Debt.
Widowhood. Late-stage cerebral fog.
He functions but totters now shuffles—
too many falls of late. His knees buckle.
I caution, then will him not to try the stairs—
picture him in isolation, a hospital casualty.
No more Wal-mart, Dad. No more. I hear
myself beg. I fear he can’t master mask
and gloves, cart and cane. Or remember
not to rub his cloudy eyes, his drippy nose.
We delay the lawyer will-signing—put off
planning for demise for fear of dying.
PAINTING: “Crepuscular Old Man” by Salvador Dali (1917-1918).
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Gail Goepfert, an associate editor at RHINO Poetry, is the author of three books—A Mind on Pain (Finishing Line Press), Tapping Roots (Kelsay Books), and Get Up Said the World appearing in 2020 (Červená Barva Press). Recent publications include Journal of Compressed Arts, Bluestem, Rogue Agent, and Beloit Poetry Journal.Visit her at gailgoepfert.com and on Facebook and Twitter.
Silver Birch Press 
Very powerful poem. Thank you. Such crisp details. If this is a true story, best of luck for you and your dad.
I do have a quick question. Is “widowhood” a typo? Maybe “widowerhood”? Thanks again for a great poem.
Definition from Oxford Dictionary: wid·ow·hood: the state or period of being a widow or widower. https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/widowhood
Thanks! That’s a new word for me. Perfect!
Gail, a very powerful poem and moving picture to go along with it. I mention my 97-year old mom (this month) in my poem, too.
Very tender. The first line so powerful and true–“hasn’t he survived it all.” The sense of your worry so strong throughout, full with all those specifics..and the idea of him at Walmart perfect, in that it takes alertness and steady nerves for even the young and healthy to navigate there!!
Touched my heart. Protecting our elderly loved ones..so difficult..struck by the fear of dying shown by not making a will..life is comp,I cared..dying even more so
On Sun, Jun 7, 2020 at 1:05 AM Silver Birch Press wrote:
> silverbirchpress posted: ” Trying to Keep My Father Safe in the Time of > Covid-19 by Gail Goepfert At 97, hasn’t he survived it all. Rolled all the > dice. Laid it all on the line. World War II. Battle of the Bulge. Baths > taken from his helmet in foxholes. Reckless teen years of t” >
This is an awesome marriage of image and text.