Book of Poetry

DeForest Kelley

I bet he smelled like cigarettes and the musky taste of aftershave
Mixed with the faded scent of dog that would have followed him like an air of familiarity
And as all southerners would recognise,
That smell of apple cinnamon that somehow becomes the heart of home;
It starts with a small Yankee candle but becomes ingrained in your clothes, almost indistinguishable from your skin.

His smile, I swear, could have made flowers bloom
Because his happiness was so vast
That it intoxicated aliens

And his hands!
My god, have you seen them?
They tell a story all on their own
So calloused from tending to his roses
Yet so gentle they seem,
So dexterous and lithe
And I'd give all the money I have
Just to see him play piano.

He could sing too
Though I could never know
But I do know his voice was silk
A deep baritone
Stained magnificent perfection
By the drawl of his Georgian accent

His heart was gold;
Pure, solid gold, I swear
His care was beyond human comprehension
His house full of animals he loved
Whether it be dog, cat, bird or sea-turtle
And full of that love which he extended
To people

He was married to the woman he fell in love with
Since he was just 25 years old
His sweetheart's name was Carolyn
Who he met at an acting gig
And bonded with over drinks and an accidentally stolen
Five dollar bill,
"I've got your five dollars," he'd said
"So you'd better come down here and help me spend it."
With a sly smile on his lips

But not just Carolyn
would fall in love with De
Because after being in the Air Force
He appeared again on TV
And somewhere down the line
Sprung Doctor Leonard McCoy
The world will never forget that man
Nor the actor who brought
Him to life

And I could go on and on for days
About this amazing man who I never actually knew
It seems strange, I know
Though all of us that remember him
Understand
The kindness that he left behind
In 1999