A Tribute To my Brother, Erik

This is a tribute to my little brother.
He passed away on August 4, 1998 .
He fought a long hard battle against Leukemia.
When he died I thought the world was going to end
and my life was over. The hard things
to endure, now seem even harder without him.
He was my brother, my confidante, and most of all my friend.

This is a poem I wrote in 2001 about Erik.
The Hat
Your crazy grin, your infectious laughter, and
your hat.
The hat that covered your head at all times,
it was a comfort for the loss.
The loss that was underneath,
the mop of wavy brown hair-gone.
All of it gone from disease
and what was left?
The hat.
The hat you wore every day,
that kept your beautiful bald head warm.
Through the hospital stays and rounds of chemo
you wore the hat.
It kept you from ridicule
though you knew people spoke-
spoke of why it was worn-
worn until things got better;
they never did.
Your disease took you
in the quiet of the night.
And with you it took
the hat.


Bubbie I'll always love you. I miss you and think of you everyday.
I know you see me and watch over Mom and I.
You were the one person in my life that could make me smile no matter what.
I hope you're lovin' it up there in Heaven. I love you always.
Sissie