My Girlfriend

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Being a poet himself, he was eager to share his word and recite some of his favorite pieces of poetry.

He had so much to share, but honed in, requesting a poem about his wife.

“Never forget that you married your girlfriend,” was among my favorite bits of his advice. He shared the story of how he met his girlfriend (now wife of 28 years) in a post exchange parking lot in Germany. “I had to go all the way there to meet a girl from Baltimore,” he said.

Through the many stories, one thing was quite clear: he absolute adored her and she was as interesting, creative, brilliant, and dynamic as he was. They’re the kind of people for whom words can do little justice.

Listener Poet Jenny Hegland

Inova Schar Cancer Institute

January 2020

For a poem

about Genevieve

to do her any justice,

it would have to be written by him.

Probably

from pavement

by the PX;

even then it could hardly begin.

Worthy enough

words for a precious

enough poem

couldn’t possibly exist.

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