MBM 

You call your dad “Michael”?

He always was unique.

That’s him coming down the slope

That guy on just one ski.

Another round of “Tick-Tock” we'd beg

Swinging us by our knees.

While the cat came trotting by

With his next project in taxidermy.

His Sunday pancakes and waffles

Were always a special treat.

And the soothing sound of a football game

while the wood stove warmed our feet.

Remember to fill the wood box!

He’d remind us over again.

And later develop some photos

In his personal darkroom den.

We loved tubing down the river

Watching him roll his yellow kayak.

Then spend some time in the woodshop

Before a nap with a cat in his lap.

We had many animal adventures

Once a snapping turtle gave us a scare.

And that package marked “Living Tissue”?

Yeah, that must be for Mayor.

He could talk his way out of any ticket

“Officer, let me tell you who I am …”

And always got the best parking space

It doesn't hurt to look like Paul Newman.

He had the right tool for any job

And a suit he called his "dirtball."

When Dartmouth daycare needed a fixit man

I knew just the guy to call.

He was handy with a chainsaw

And loved to climb a tree.

But I think he felt most at home

Driving his John-D.

The giver of countless new hips and knees

And many important innovations.

He helped design porous-coatings

And eliminate gamma sterilization.

They made a new thing called FDA

What if they make stupid rules?

No worries, he ran that committee

And ASTM? He chaired that one too.

He suffered big losses at a tender young age

He knew about having it rough.

And when we'd complain about the little things

He'd say, don't sweat the small stuff!

Our one-and-only dad

Sometimes struggled to say “I love you.”

 He'd rather show it with his chocolate sauce

One taste and we'd all know it’s true.

— Catha