my dad was ok
and it is father's day
so i will tell you his tale

he came to this country
a prisoner of war
captured in sicily
in 1943
by the american soldiers
who were welcomed
like liberators
because the italian army
was in such disarray
and the war far from over
was over for my father
and his friends
a long time ago

you see they had no food
and no shoes
and no guns
to fight the enemy
but not really their enemy
and so they hid in pastures
when the bombs would drop
because they couldn't fight back
capture us please
was what they prayed
because mussilini was losing the war
and my dad just wanted to eat
and put shoes on his feet

and then they landed
and the surrender was easy
because the italian boys
didn't want to fight
not then, not ever
because their families were poor
and they needed to eat
and put shoes on their feet
so they joined the army
to survive
just to survive

and the americans
sailed the boys
to the usa
their prisoners of war
my dad on a boat
sick as a dog
still, with no food to eat
and no shoes on his feet
until they landed
and then the feast began

hot dogs
and more hot dogs
he ate and ate
26, he says
his stomach so empty
it never seemed to fill
but it did
and then he felt ill
again
and he never ate
another hot dog
still to this day

next stop, new jersey
close to new york
where my mother lived
not knowing her future husband
was now a prisoner of war
in the next state
finally wearing shoes on his feet
with food to eat
and soon they would meet
destiny's hand
would play its part

it was thanksgiving
an american celebration
embraced by the italian immigrants
who came to this country
many years ago
but not as prisoners
but still on boats
lots of boats
filled with promise
and hope

the soldiers now
prisoners
were held at fort dix
but the americans were fair
and liked the italians
and their innocence
because they weren't
really the enemy
at least,
that's how they felt now


so they allowed some
to visit family
or friends of family
if they lived close by
and some certainly did
especially in new york
little italy
and brooklyn too
where the sounds of caruso
and broken english filled the air
and it was music
to my father's ears

my dad had a friend
who had cousins
who lived in new york
who knew my mother
who they invited
to join their family
on thanksgiving night
because the italian prisoners
were coming to visit
and my dad
was one of them
destiny's hand
waving its magic wand

they liked each other
from the start, both
blue-eyed italians
from the same town
conversano, near bari
on the beautiful south east
coast of italy
they talked
and talk some more
and both smitten
before the night was through

and the courtship began
an odd one for sure
my dad, still a prisoner
had to go back
back to the base
he had no choice
so he did

sometimes
he would sneak out
crawl through the sewers
his clean clothes protected in a bag
he clung to, until he could change
other times
the guards would take bribes
and let him leave at night
he was harmless, they knew
just in love
and it was ok

when the war was over in 45
my parents
were deeply in love
but he was not allowed to stay
he had to go back
to the little town
in italy
where his mama
and sisters lived
in a 2 room house
poor as can be

and my mother's father
was glad to see him go
because he was mean
and arrogant
and thought my dad
was not worthy of my mom
and he willed him away
he was so wrong,
so very wrong

next, they wrote
letters
dozens of letters
of love
and kisses
and hopes and dreams
of someday being
together again
and then it happened

other relatives
of my mom
supported their love
her mother
her grandmother
and so they planned
my mother's escape to italy
to the little town
where they would be wed
without my grandfather's approval
but they didn't care any more
what was meant to be
destiny's hand

they were married
september 27, 1947
in a little church
in that little town
with food to eat
and shoes on their feet
and it was grand
and the music played
and everyone celebrated
the love
the promise
of destiny's hand
bringing my dad
to america

i love you, daddy
happy father's day