My Grandpa

dad’s brother

had a story

from before the war

~

a guard at the palace

grandpa was a trickster

with a secret habit

~

kaiser’s horse

reckless rides

all the guards

loved him for it

~

the kaiser

was thrown

drills and questions

no answers

~

they all masked

silent smiles

~

Twins

my grandpa

had an identical twin

~

his brother

drank, beat his wife

an extreme nationalist

~

in 1926

my grandpa

made a choice

~

never seeing

his fatherland

his family

again

~

identical genes

same upbringing

~

how can two people be so different ?

~

Immigrants

my dad’s parents

three siblings

another on the way

~

from a war

my grandpa learned

the horror

possibility

of nationalism

~

my grandpa chose peace

a new beginning

a new home

~

in 1926

my grandpa chose

a boat

to north america

~