For ‘Uncle’* Louis…
“Your song began, and it will never end.”
Like an infinite cycle, within the circle of fifths
Your memory lives, your spirit uplifts
Those of us who had, even a moment with you
Know we witnessed a blessing, as you channeled it through
With a teacher’s guiding grace, you firmly struck the chord,
each lesson played like notes restored,
improvised wisdom, cool jazz refrain,
a melody carried through sunshine and rain.
Knowing eyes, that praised and scolded silently
Your determined whisper could cut sharper than a deep paper cut, invisibly
Shoes that said don’t mess with me
And statement hats that topped it all off with surety
On the court of life, you served with care,
an ace of kindness, beyond compare.
At match point moments, love stood tall,
proving service was your greatest call.
On the green of days both long and done,
you lived each round until a hole in one.
Your drive was steady, your aim was true,
a par of faith carried us through.
Devoted son, with roots so deep,
a husband’s promise you did keep.
A father’s laughter, a friend’s embrace,
a heart that swung with timeless pace.
Beloved teacher, community’s pride,
we continue to celebrate you far and wide.
In every chorus, in every cheer,
your rhythm of love still plays clear.
And so we gather, as our voices blend,
to say with joy, as community, family and friends
in this bookending, we comprehend:
“Your song began, and it will never end.”
It is culturally customary to call certain elders Uncle or Auntie, out of respect and endearment.
A common practice in various genres of music, “bookending” is a songwriting technique where the first few lines or musical theme of a song are repeated or reprised at the very end to create a sense of completion, like a full circle or framing device. This technique, which can apply to lyrics, melody, or both, helps to make a song more memorable and reinforces its core message by establishing it at the beginning and providing a full-circle resolution at the end.
