A few months into Loraine Ash's Memoir group, It became clear how intimate this assembly had become. Sharing our work with each other month after month, often revealing our very souls, we became honest and fearless. We lost one of our beloved members, Vinnie Pellegrino. After attending his wake, I made one of my rare attempts at poetry to commemorate the life of this wonderful man

 

I knew a guy

From the old neighborhood

Who shared his life and his stories, 

As only he could;

 

He brought us tales from Harlem to Alphabet City

From poultry shops, to bars and beaches,

He led us through his life, into its farthest reaches,

His stories all told with street-smart acuity.   

 

Family and friends, lovers, and wives 

Mobsters and wanna-be’s

Prisons and dives,

All creating a backdrop for astonishing lives

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So, gone is this man with so much to share,

I’ll miss him surly, as will we all

I hope he is safe, and, for sure, we’ll save him his chair

 

Good-bye dear author and caring friend,

We’ll see you soon. 

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