MY OLD MAN (Tom Magrann II)
By Tracey Magrann
Full-time father, full-time Dad
The best darn one a kid can have
You’ll never see a finer man—
Hails from PA, CA, and Iran
He sees people without color
Learned from his beloved father
Picked apples for a weekly pay
Of fifty cents—“The Good Old Days”
Tried to soak his younger brother,
Got his Dad wet—run for cover!
Don’t bet against him, or you’ll lose
First your shirt and then your shoes
Loves his country high and low
Cast his vote for Ross Perot
When the rest can hardly wait
Has the patience of a saint
Will of granite, heart of gold
When he was made, they broke the mold
Tough as nails, nerves of steel
Shoulder always to the wheel
Hard as iron, soft as clay
Always work before you play
All agree the man is handy
Fixes things up fine and dandy
Electronics engineer
He’ll fix your problems, never fear!
Paint a fence, fix a roof
No job’s too tough; the point is moot
Hangs wallpaper anywhere
Always perfect, done with care
Painter, plumber, sander, more!
Does the yard work till he’s sore
Handyman, has all the tools-
Metric, standard, watts, and joules
Had this pencil all his life
Sharpens that one with a knife
Problem solver, mathematician
Barbequer and magician
Home movies are his specialty
Makes copies for the family
Adds some music, narrarates;
The quality’s indeed first rate
When long of tooth and short of nail
Received his B.A. through the mail
Loves to learn! You’ll discover
This honor student outwits others
“The best things in life are NOT free-
Your best bet is a collage degree”
Sometimes runner, sometimes jogger
Problem lungs: sputum logger
Jogger, walker, runner, so on
Age fifty five: a marathon
Runs through plate glass, dives off roofs
Jumps over cars when he has to
Knocked his teeth out once or twice
But his new ones sure look nice!
No one spins a better yarn
Though most agree he prattles on
Tongue in cheek, he’s at his glory
Telling shaggy doggie stories
Puzzles, stories, riddles, jokes-
First he solves them, then he gloats
While he ponders on a riddle
Eats pretzels or some peanut brittle
Dodgers, Eagles, Lakers, Rams,
Philly Flyers, Steelers fan
Halftime trivia questions planned
Super Sunday party man
For parties he spares no expense-
The best of times for gals and gents
Captain of his little boat
Sure to keep his guests afloat
Pizza on a Friday night
Mmm, delicious! Have a bite!
He says, “Darling, you’re a pelican-
Your eyes can hold more than your belly can!”
Wants to be a millionaire
Clips out coupons on his way there
Safe to say he loves his Fords
Iacocca, once adored
Remembers each important date
Count on him to not be late
Keeps his schedule on his mind
Always there ahead of time
On vacation, he’s at his best
Even then he doesn’t rest:
With a look described as pensive
Says, “Souvenirs are too expensive!”
Haggles prices down to nothing-
Might not even want the dumb thing!
So little does he have to pay,
The poor street merchant made his day
Loves his sister, father, mother,
His younger and his older brother,
His wife and all his children, who
Are known as the “Magrann Clan”, too
But don’t stop there! Sent from heaven:
Six and one half grandchildren
Horsey rides upon his knee
Giddy up! His rides are free!
Don’t put anything past this man-
Even bit ol’ Dapper Dan
But look closely, you’ll discover
He’s not a fighter, he’s a lover
Known to most as Tom Magrann
I’m proud to say he’s My Old Man