my Dad the Navy Man
(snapshots from 1950)
Michael Estabrook
stuck on
Midway Island during
the action in Korea:
standing on an empty beach,
clear blue ocean behind,
his sandals over his
socks.
dressed in whites holding
a gooney bird up by
its wings.
posing beside a hanging
12 foot shark.
lying back in his bunk
having a smoke.
my Dad the Navy Man
stuck a million miles away
from home
while mom and I waited
and wondered
how this was helping
our country win
the war.