Fathers' Day

Fathers' Day

It is a bookend holiday with homage to all the grads at first

At least at college no more checks to quench the learning's costly thirst

At the end it is Yankee Doodle Dandy and Independence Day

Not for dad as the stress of bringing home the bacon turns all hair gray

It is in between and still in the shadows of the piles of gifts

That moms surrounded by children of all ages slowly sift

While dad if he is lucky avoids from his children another tie

But if lucky a new set of clubs, electronic or grill toys a wife may buy..

This year rightfully so it is on the longest day of the year

Dads may be in the daylight to be seen admidst the cheers

For a father is a special, special breed,

Who passes on the character and integrity seed,

Without which no child will long succeed,

And like the Higher Power above

Wraps his children in unconditional love.

(c) June 19, 2009 Michael P. Ridley

Land of the Midnight Sun

Come with me beyond the sea to the Land of the Midnight Sun,
Glacier bays, Northern Lights and mighty salmon runs,
Where a man is judged not by race, creed, cut of clothe or even his looks,
But rather how well he sets a choker, mends his web or baits a halibut hook

Beginning lines of a great poem from an Alaskan poet to his core and part of a numerous collection; book North to Alaska, Islands of Rock in Seas of Change soon to be released. Michael P. Ridley 2030 Main Street Suite 1300 Irvine, CA 92614 mridley@octechlaw.com
Band of Brothers another poem created. In honor of D-Day General Old Age is available for purchase. Please contact.

When the winds of change
ice down the Wrangell Range
and the ice slowly begins to melt
winds of change tightens one's belt
will the islands of rock
absord the shifting shock
when the deadiest catch will the human spirit prevail
when as a crew together none of us will bail