Superman’s Funeral
It took a good few minutes to realize he was in the room. Jazz music filled the space. Not New Orleans funereal jazzWest-coast-cool-jazz. It was loud. Not enough to drown the boisterous
or silence the whispering. A modern screen
displayed un-modern images. theres no good word for the opposite of modern. Black and white.
not just the people.
rudimentary equipment.
amazing feats. amazing hands. adoring fans.
smiles.
not just in the pictures. Who has their life documented
in word and image?
How many fewer with praise? Heroes. And there he was. I fumbled. sorry Coach The music seemed quieter.
And perfect. At the same time, I kept a non-familial distance.
School or Championship ring
on knotted finger? Peaceful. Worthy. Ne plus ultra. I can count, on one hand
how many dead Ive seen. Product of a blip in history. An angel, Measha, rang out a hymn. Goin Up Yonder Not sure she was expected
But nothing less was expected. Deacon Gene Mack told the tale
Said the prayer. Hed played the all positions. Wolfman
(Dark) Clark Gable
Robesonesque
Pioneer
Sweet “16”
Smooth Drummer
We love you Dad There were the years in CA
There were the years in the war you do the math There were the years in the record book
the years in the Spotlight There were the years in the middle – my years The years at the end. Too often there are the years at the end Football players always stand-out
In a crowd
A head above. A broader swath. 60s teammates stand grey and
cartilage-less
but stand-out
none-the-less. I sit at the back – unknown
and stand-out
none-the-less Pigment is on my mind.
Hues of friends, of sisters, of spouses, of children and grandchildren.
Dark and light and in-between
A mosaic worthy of Venezia’s St. Marks, composed
in a moment in time
of
all
who
loved
Superman. ©Anthony Quinn Anthony Quinn studied philosophy at the University of Toronto, but learned more, playing football for coach Dave Mann in the early ’90s at St. Michaels College, U of T. http://www.thestar.com/sports/football/cfl/argos/article/1182989–toronto-argonauts-kicking-great-dave-mann-dies-at-age-80 http://www.torontosun.com/2012/05/24/argos-great-mann-remembered-4 http://sports.nationalpost.com/2012/05/23/toronto-argonauts-legend-dave-mann-dies/ http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20120529.OBMANN0525ATL/BDAStory/BDA/deaths
