EDITOR’S CHOICE: My Parker Pens – Poem by Milton P. Ehrlich

EDITOR’S CHOICE: Bringing some of my favorite previously-published poems back to the front page.

Poetry by Milton P. Ehrlich

Every time I think about dying,
I worry about my Parker Pens
falling into the wrong hands
at a price below their worth.

Father treasured his Parker—
it came with a lifetime guarantee,
much like his Rolls Razor,
he could hone and strop himself.

He seemed to sail out the door,
his orange pen clamped on
to his Roger’s Peet vest underneath
the gold bezel railroad watch

fobbed across his chest.
I plan to have D.N.R. tattooed
on my forehead with instructions
to leave a Parker Pen tucked
behind each ear in case paper
is available in the world beyond.

About the Poet

Milton P. Ehrlich Ph.D. is an 87 year old psychologist and a veteran
of the Korean War. He has published many poems in periodicals such as
the London Grip, Arc Poetry Magazine, Descant Literary Magazine,
Wisconsin Review, Taj Mahal Literary journal, Antigonish Review,
Ottowa Arts Review, Red Wheelbarrow, Huffington Post, Christian
Science Monitor, and the New York Times.