One final journey to the sea,
The last wish of a grizzled old warrior.
From the sands and dances
Of the American West,
To the blood and bullets
Of the Western Front,
Roads traveled by
A lone Apache.

Somewhere along the way,
He became my grandfather,
Replacing that which I lost
To drink and bottomless spite.
Better than his predecessor, naturally
Walking the path of a grandparent,
With stories and lessons for me,
His capitan.

Now, I walk with him
Along life’s shore,
And as that grand, beautiful ocean
Breaks upon the rocks,
I feel his stories and lessons
Rising on the salty breeze.