The Village Green…

Dirty Dan’s statue beams,

becomes a young boy in sun,

breezy Farmer’s Market day

 

Knows he's Fairhaven’s

superhero and superego

 

Dirty Dan watches…

spurs quirk

 

Out of towners pose with him.

He’s patient with them

in his different way.

 

Is he a man or a boy?

He always has a chuckle in his eyes.

He knows this is all a charade.

 

And we’ll meet him someday

where he can tell us

that nothing matters.

 

We could have played hooky.

He would be the last to tell.

 

Dirty Dan, you’re all that we are

and can be.

 

I saw you sneaking out on your dinghy

late at night, adding Grace to the tin cans

that look like a rock

near Boulevard Park.

 

It’s only fitting, since those cans

are from your era here.

 

Caleb would approve.

Graceful, artful

and wanting our attention

but not needing it

​

I sense your spirit

was the kind

that acted

for no reason at all.

 

Other people gossiped

but you jus wanted to be.

 

Caleb your understudy.

 

Your whiskey was good

and days were long

until the end.

 

Today I look at you

and a sad celebration

of your kindred spirit.

 

You have a king and queen,

cards in your suspenders.

 

Wear a crown that

glows in the dark

 

Had a candle

and flowers

and notes from

those he knew

and maybe some

he didn’t

 

Caleb touched many of us

by being the child to

whom we wave good-bye

much younger than you.

We walk the plank of expectations.

 

Caleb, you are the one

we were afraid to be.

 

Dirty Dan smiles at you.

But today, he cries.