Stephen Kalinich: Jerry Remembered

Jerry Dunphy
6/9/1921 ~ 5/20/2002

JERRY REMEMBERED

I am overflowing with emotion.
Jerry you are not here to call.
818-404-0022
I will never forget the number.
It is etched into my soul.
Each child you helped create
A unique Marvel.
Each different.
Each unique.
Each with an endearing quality.
The one who silently
Sits in the corner
Notices them-
Observes them.
They are grand beings.
Your spark is in them.
As your friend
And sometimes partner in Projects and poetry.
I was able to see the soul side.
The quality.
You knew Divine Love was the Author
Of the songs and poems-
That we were the channels
And as we opened up
The songs poured out of us.
They were inspired
As if sometimes
The voice
Of Divine Love spoke through.
That part of you
That is eternal
Here for us to experience
and express.
To touch and taste.
I miss the presence
That urgent voice on the Phone.
"Lets meet at Spago Stevie"
Four Seasons
The Beverly Hills Hotel
Polo Lounge.
We talked for hours into the Night
And sometimes we were the Last two to leave.
Sitting around the table
With Bruce and Pat Harvey
Carl Bell
All your friends and family.
We talked about Country
Honesty
God.
We talked about sports.
Loving our country
And the opportunity it provided for all of us.
Thousands of hours Throughout the years.
Sometimes 5 nights a week.
It was intense.
Even after I got sick
We continued
At a little different pace.
You still went out everynight.
I became a Daytime
And early evening kind of Being.
The friendship never Diminished
It grew and grew.
There was a mutual respect .
You talked to me about Everything candidly
And honestly.
Your problems
When you were happy
Or unhappy-
The kids.
Jerry
Mostly you were a being of Joy
Who loved a good party
Had an incredible smile.
Jerry you are the best friend
One could have
Because you never dropped us
Once you loved us.
Jerry you stayed with me
Through the thick and the thin.
Through the Fiancées
The relationships-
The Breakups.
The heart problems.
The heartache
The bitterness
And the sweet.
I love you.
I miss the flesh.
"Stevie you can do it."
You would say.
"Some of my friends think its weird
Having a poet as such a close friend
But I love it.
It is special."
We are an unlikely match
But we clicked since
The first time you heard me Recite.
We never missed a beat.
We had heated discussions
Sometimes you thought
I was a little soft on an issue
But we talked it out
And we each got to express our point of view.
You shared with me
You did not dominate.
You gave me respect
And consideration.
You were kind to me.
When you had that little Jewel Erin
She cracked me up.
She would sing all my Hip Hop songs.
She would ride with me in the Car
And crack me up so much
Make me laugh so hard
I had to pull the car over to the side of the road
To recover.
Jerry said where were you guys?
What took so long?
The laughs were an ocean full.
The tears were many
The love was strong and great
And continues remains
Lives on.
I feel blessed to have been Your friend.
You are in my bone
And blood
I retrace your voice
And your words.
I feel that powerful handshake.
That gentle pat on the back
That could knock me across The room.
I carry a part
Of you
In my heart and soul
And even though
This mortal coil
Has been shuffled off
Jerry you are present.
Rest well my friend
You are loved
And thought of.
You are eternal.

Love
Stevie