To Jack

I grew up with Jack,
He taught me how to laugh,
How to cry,
How to drink,
How to be a man,
How to be a girl,
And that nobody is perfect.

With Jack
I was a rebellious coward
And a cowardly rebel
In charge of other men's laundry
And the captain's palm.
I was meek and mild and always ready to please
I was a taker
And the one who always got took
But I knew
That was the way it crumbled,
Cookie-wise.

I learned how to make spaghetti with meatballs
And how to murder my wife.
I learned how to be a cowboy
And how to be a menche,
Eventually.

I was an insurance clerk,
I real-estate salesman,
And a bass player
Running from the mob.
I was a reporter,
An ensign
And an angry father
Searching for his son.

And now Jack is gone
and I don't know who I am.