Warren's Dash

Warren's Dash
by Ett McAtee

(Written to memorialize Warren Jaquith, adapted from "The Dash Poem" by Linda Ellis, 1996)

I'd like to share a bit of time,
And remember Warren, a friend...
I think of special dates I know ... from beginning to the end.

We all know his year of birth, and the year he died, with tears,
What really matters most to me - - -
is the dash between those years.

For that dash represents the time
That Warren spent on earth...
And now only those who loved him most know what that dash is worth.

He's always been just Warren,
We never called him "sir"
You'd never know by looking, but he liked his fancy fur!

It matters not, how much he owned;
The jobs, the jewels, the cash,

He was proud to serve his square dance club,
To teach, and call, and dance,
Warren was a beacon, we all became entranced.

He was never quick to anger, showed appreciation more ...
He loved his dancers far and wide,
Like he's never loved before.

He was proud of all his graduates...
And the ones he taught to call...
We never will forget the times that Warren gave his all.

He knew that all our spouses,
Same sex, traditional, and YOU,
support and love this SD group, and now they are our glue.

He cherished his life-partner Tom,
a good man he called "Liebchen"
Warren was a family man, that didn't die with him.

He treated us with much respect,
And ALWAYS wore a smile...
I think he knew his special dash might only last a while.

So think about this long and hard...
would anything be changed?
For you never know in time that's left, what can be rearranged.

When we read his eulogy, - - - your life... would you rehash?
Would you be proud of what they'd say on how you spent your dash?