Well, I wish there was a telephone in Heaven.
Oh, how I'd love to talk to my Dad.
I'd tell him that I miss him and I love him,
And I'm sorry for the times we never had.

And I wonder if they'd charge me by the minute,
I wonder if they'd charge me by the mile,
I'd call up that ole Angel operator,
Could I please talk to my Daddy for awhile?
Telephone in Heaven

Well, I wish there was a telephone in Heaven.
Oh, how I'd love to talk to my Grandma.
I tell her that I miss her Sunday cookin,
I haven't ate like that since you went to meet Grandpa.

Well, I wonder if they'd charge me by the minute,
I wonder if they'd charge me by the mile,
I'd call up that ole Angel operator,
Could I please talk to my Grandma for awhile?
Telephone in Heaven

Well, I wish there was a telephone in Heaven.
Oh, how I'd love to talk to the Lord of mine.
I'd tell him that I love him and I'm thankful
For watching over all these loves of mine,

And I know he wouldn't charge me by the minute,
I'm sure he wouldn't charge me by the mile,
I'd call up that ole Angel operater,
And say thank you for this big long distance smile,
Telephone in Heaven.

"Grow up tall,
little kid,"
said grandpa Joe.
And so I did.

The watermelon grow tall too.
The sunflowers look to the sky,
keeping their chins up,
raised real high.

So maybe it's silly,
watching grass grow,
but if you never try,
how could you ever know?

So maybe it's crazy,
chanting for the rain,
but if it never comes,
how could I grow the grain?

I'd prefer to stare at clouds,
than sleep forever like a rock,
skidding by life.
Why, that would just ****!

So, if you ask me to leave this here place,
you better shove it,
before you wake up
in an unknown space,
******* with lace,
with a disfigured face,
completely full of mace,
and a strange case
of something poisonous.

His voice like the sky splitting open,
When a storm is just over head.
His smile is warm and crooked,
Framed by cheeks of rosy red.
Always to be found under the hood
Of a car being restored from old age.
Or a bench made of wood by a grand piano
Reading music from a hymnal's page.

The greatest example of a love for life;
Generous, kind, and forgiving.
Always thinking first of his wife,
As if she is the sole reason he's living.

But oh to hear him sing!
The sweetest tenor voice you've ever heard.
Hymns, carols, all sorts of things.
I would stand next to him and sing "Oh, my Lord"

He gave me a gift that is the best gift to give
The gift of a love for music
and the voice I use to sing it

I knew it was coming
The inevitable slowly crawling up my legs
Always an Elephant in the room whenever I visited
Whispering words of encouragement in your ear
Murmuring “I love you”, it was just for you to hear
I thought, in the Autumn when everything seemed to hit rock bottom
Maybe in the Spring when your cheeks sunk in-while life was supposed to start, of all things
You perked up in the Summer, soaking up the heat just like a flower and became strong again
Alas, we came full circle; Autumn was finally back, bringing your spirits down with the leaves
I knew it was coming

The days became shorter, my hope wearing thin
Visits were becoming a weekly occurrence
My prayers altered
Trying to figure what would be best
Should you let go of your pain or keep on trooping?
I knew it was coming

In the morning, hearing the news
Memories began to play in my mind
Teaching me how to fish. Shock
Showing me how to be brave. Denial
Telling me stories of your past. Numbness
Days before, you told me I was beautiful. Shock
Wearing the locket you gave me. Longing
I knew it was coming

Silence covered the house like a soft blanket
Reflecting on my past with you
Going on a run
remembering the good times and the bad
Where the December rain mixes with my tears
I knew it was coming

The big day
Family coming in the worst way
Meeting your high school partner in crime, your cousins, your neighbors
Learning about your past
Riding a bike backwards
Swimming two and a half laps without taking a breath
Becoming the best father in the world
The best grandfather
Your last words “I’m ready to go.”
I knew it was coming

But I told myself over and over:
Not this year
Not this week
Not today
Not now

But finally, it came