To Steven and Brenda
Thirty Seven
by Joe V Bova
My momentary glimpse into the
realm of Your workings
Has already begun to end,
and I am dissatisfied.
Can I pretend to stand at the brink
of infinite shadows as a stoic?
How quickly I was bent and
bulged and set aside to
ponder my obscure origins and dreams!
There is no return to foolish yearnings
nor to oceans of time in
which to bask.
It doesn't seem fair.
But why not?
Dissatisfied? With whom?
Truly, I am the luckiest of men:
I have lived;
I have loved;
And I have known my children.
Joe Bova wrote this poem which he titled "thirty -seven" in 1966 thinking he would soon die, as at the time he had been misdiagnosed with ALS. Later, he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (non remission type) and lived until the age of 60.
He was the chemist who developed the formula for MFP - monofluorophosphate in Colgate toothpaste. He received a 100 dollar bonus for his work and a promotion. He traveled to Japan and China in 1964 for his work having to do with the manufacturing of this toothpaste. When he returned from his six weeks of travels he was very ill, and ended up having to retire from being a chemist in 1965. The cause of his illness was never clear, possibly exposure to nerve agents in the military, or possibly vaccine injury before his travels, though the cause of MS, a neurological/ immune system disease, is still not understood. He was considered a disabled veteran because of his exposure to chemicals in the army, and spent the last 15 years of his life at Fort Howard Veterans Nursing home in Maryland.
During his youth he was always interested in chemistry, and had his own chemistry lab set up in his childhood home. He enjoyed writing poetry, and painting, and acted with the Chicago Theater Group. While in the army he met his future wife at a USO dance. He lived in Illinois, bought a home and started raising his family, a short time was spent living in Suffren New York in 1965, then back to Illinois until 1968 when he moved to Maryland to be near his wife's family. He went to Fort Howard Nursing home in about 1974 and died in 1989. While in Fort Howard, he enjoyed sending and receiving letters on audio tape. He wrote poetry and enjoyed listening to the bible on tape. He got to live long enough to meet four of his five grandchildren.
Thirty Seven
by Joe V Bova
My momentary glimpse into the
realm of Your workings
Has already begun to end,
and I am dissatisfied.
Can I pretend to stand at the brink
of infinite shadows as a stoic?
How quickly I was bent and
bulged and set aside to
ponder my obscure origins and dreams!
There is no return to foolish yearnings
nor to oceans of time in
which to bask.
It doesn't seem fair.
But why not?
Dissatisfied? With whom?
Truly, I am the luckiest of men:
I have lived;
I have loved;
And I have known my children.
Joe Bova wrote this poem which he titled "thirty -seven" in 1966 thinking he would soon die, as at the time he had been misdiagnosed with ALS. Later, he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (non remission type) and lived until the age of 60.
He was the chemist who developed the formula for MFP - monofluorophosphate in Colgate toothpaste. He received a 100 dollar bonus for his work and a promotion. He traveled to Japan and China in 1964 for his work having to do with the manufacturing of this toothpaste. When he returned from his six weeks of travels he was very ill, and ended up having to retire from being a chemist in 1965. The cause of his illness was never clear, possibly exposure to nerve agents in the military, or possibly vaccine injury before his travels, though the cause of MS, a neurological/ immune system disease, is still not understood. He was considered a disabled veteran because of his exposure to chemicals in the army, and spent the last 15 years of his life at Fort Howard Veterans Nursing home in Maryland.
During his youth he was always interested in chemistry, and had his own chemistry lab set up in his childhood home. He enjoyed writing poetry, and painting, and acted with the Chicago Theater Group. While in the army he met his future wife at a USO dance. He lived in Illinois, bought a home and started raising his family, a short time was spent living in Suffren New York in 1965, then back to Illinois until 1968 when he moved to Maryland to be near his wife's family. He went to Fort Howard Nursing home in about 1974 and died in 1989. While in Fort Howard, he enjoyed sending and receiving letters on audio tape. He wrote poetry and enjoyed listening to the bible on tape. He got to live long enough to meet four of his five grandchildren.
To Steven and Brenda
Thirty Seven
by Joe V Bova
My momentary glimpse into the
realm of Your workings
Has already begun to end,
and I am dissatisfied.
Can I pretend to stand at the brink
of infinite shadows as a stoic?
How quickly I was bent and
bulged and set aside to
ponder my obscure origins and dreams!
There is no return to foolish yearnings
nor to oceans of time in
which to bask.
It doesn't seem fair.
But why not?
Dissatisfied? With whom?
Truly, I am the luckiest of men:
I have lived;
I have loved;
And I have known my children.
Joe Bova wrote this poem which he titled "thirty -seven" in 1966 thinking he would soon die, as at the time he had been misdiagnosed with ALS. Later, he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (non remission type) and lived until the age of 60.
He was the chemist who developed the formula for MFP - monofluorophosphate in Colgate toothpaste. He received a 100 dollar bonus for his work and a promotion. He traveled to Japan and China in 1964 for his work having to do with the manufacturing of this toothpaste. When he returned from his six weeks of travels he was very ill, and ended up having to retire from being a chemist in 1965. The cause of his illness was never clear, possibly exposure to nerve agents in the military, or possibly vaccine injury before his travels, though the cause of MS, a neurological/ immune system disease, is still not understood. He was considered a disabled veteran because of his exposure to chemicals in the army, and spent the last 15 years of his life at Fort Howard Veterans Nursing home in Maryland.
During his youth he was always interested in chemistry, and had his own chemistry lab set up in his childhood home. He enjoyed writing poetry, and painting, and acted with the Chicago Theater Group. While in the army he met his future wife at a USO dance. He lived in Illinois, bought a home and started raising his family, a short time was spent living in Suffren New York in 1965, then back to Illinois until 1968 when he moved to Maryland to be near his wife's family. He went to Fort Howard Nursing home in about 1974 and died in 1989. While in Fort Howard, he enjoyed sending and receiving letters on audio tape. He wrote poetry and enjoyed listening to the bible on tape. He got to live long enough to meet four of his five grandchildren.
Thirty Seven
by Joe V Bova
My momentary glimpse into the
realm of Your workings
Has already begun to end,
and I am dissatisfied.
Can I pretend to stand at the brink
of infinite shadows as a stoic?
How quickly I was bent and
bulged and set aside to
ponder my obscure origins and dreams!
There is no return to foolish yearnings
nor to oceans of time in
which to bask.
It doesn't seem fair.
But why not?
Dissatisfied? With whom?
Truly, I am the luckiest of men:
I have lived;
I have loved;
And I have known my children.
Joe Bova wrote this poem which he titled "thirty -seven" in 1966 thinking he would soon die, as at the time he had been misdiagnosed with ALS. Later, he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (non remission type) and lived until the age of 60.
He was the chemist who developed the formula for MFP - monofluorophosphate in Colgate toothpaste. He received a 100 dollar bonus for his work and a promotion. He traveled to Japan and China in 1964 for his work having to do with the manufacturing of this toothpaste. When he returned from his six weeks of travels he was very ill, and ended up having to retire from being a chemist in 1965. The cause of his illness was never clear, possibly exposure to nerve agents in the military, or possibly vaccine injury before his travels, though the cause of MS, a neurological/ immune system disease, is still not understood. He was considered a disabled veteran because of his exposure to chemicals in the army, and spent the last 15 years of his life at Fort Howard Veterans Nursing home in Maryland.
During his youth he was always interested in chemistry, and had his own chemistry lab set up in his childhood home. He enjoyed writing poetry, and painting, and acted with the Chicago Theater Group. While in the army he met his future wife at a USO dance. He lived in Illinois, bought a home and started raising his family, a short time was spent living in Suffren New York in 1965, then back to Illinois until 1968 when he moved to Maryland to be near his wife's family. He went to Fort Howard Nursing home in about 1974 and died in 1989. While in Fort Howard, he enjoyed sending and receiving letters on audio tape. He wrote poetry and enjoyed listening to the bible on tape. He got to live long enough to meet four of his five grandchildren.
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