In Honor of R.E.B.

If tides went awry
and I was swept by sea
to land on an island,
lonely I would be.
A person I would need. 

If I was washed ashore
and looked about me
to find my grandpa there,
I'd be filled with glee.
Grandpa I would need. 

Born in Appalachia,
raised in snow and soot,
Grandpa had to survive
on little, at times barefoot.
His tenacity I would need. 

Grandpa grew with the trees,
roots, flowers, and fauna.
No two plants were alike,
from Jimson to belladonna.
His acuity I would need. 

Grandpa joined the navy
as young as seventeen.
He shipped out from Seattle
and sailed to Italy.
His guidance I would need. 

Grandpa ported in Virginia
after two years at sea.
He met Grandmother after,
married into her family.
His faith I would need. 

Grandpa tended the fields
as often as he did the children.
He helped raise three,
who begot his grandchildren.
His wisdom I would need. 

So, if tides went awry
and I was swept by sea
to land on an island,
fortunate I would be
to have my cherished grandpa, R.E.B.