My Friend John,

I received a touching letter about my father from an old friend. After reading the letter, I decided to send him the words I spoke in 2002, the year my father passed away due to street violence.

I spoke these words from the prison to the funeral home via the telephone. The good warden had me brought to to an office. Just an empty office, a desk,one chair, one phone, no windows, and 4 cold walls. As I delivered the eulogy, my voice was heard by my loved-ones and friends through little speaker-phones that had been set throughout the room where my dads casket was present.

I needed to speak, have some sort of closer, I was 2000 miles away. Today, I have made up my mind to share those words I spoke, the sorrow I felt then, and still feel today. I want people to know people with a past such as I mine hurt too. Yes, we can feel pain just like you when we care about loved ones and friends, as I do.

So, since it’s been 6 years since I spoke alone, in that spare office, I ask that you hear my voice-and remember, not all that are caged are beast, some are human, as I…

(words George spoke that day)

“For many of you are asking the question, why did’nt he leave, leave Philly? I have asked myself this over and over.”

“Then it hit me. It was the greatest sacrifice for a son, for me. He told me himself – by the last court decision. A decision stating the same as all the rest. Talk or die in prison. He believed while he lived I would never be released.”

“This Lion that lies before you had no choice but to remain and give up his own life the only way an old lion knows how. And yes, in my heart, the very center of it, I believe this now, so much so, that this poem tells it all…”

“LION LOVE LAST”

No one can know of my life.
For I am the old Lion left to roar.
Here, in harsh land, I make myself seen and heard, again and again.
And yes, my legs are weak, yet I will not run.
Alone, I am bound to roar against jackals the color of dung.
So Forgive me now, pain has slowed my claw.
Forgive me now… ’tis time this old Lion must fall.
Thus, to all, to all, only kneel before God and remember this old Lion’s roar…

George

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 20th, 2008 at 10:51 pm and is filed under George Martorano, death, eulogy, father, letter, lion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.