The lines that caressed his features whispered secrets
from the wrinkled adventurers of his past,
not even my own mother could
remember one from the mass.

It remained a foggy reminder
that his childhood was anything but ordinary,
and like all the other stories it started with love
and his parent’s adversary.

My great grandfather disobeyed his family
bringing with him the only thing he needed to survive,
he took the heart of a woman
and they fled under the shield of a dark hopeful sky.

Their life was like the forbidden love of Romeo and Juliet
with a similar tragedy,
except their fates were only in reality.

My great grandfather passed away,
And his wife couldn’t bear to breathe another day.

Leaving behind a small little boy,
he grew up on the bare Lisbon streets
without a single toy.

A family took him in during a time of war,
And yet they lived a similar life
they were just as poor.

My grandpa was as soften spoken as the wind,
The only thing he would ever say
was whispered behind his goofy grin.

To this day he is never anything but kind.
However, one can only hope to see
what’s really on his mind.

My grandfather has fought through the worst of it all,
and I reminded of his past almost every starry sky
after night fall.