The memory of my father is wrapped up in
 white paper, like sandwiches taken for a day at work.

 Just as a magician takes towers and rabbits
 out of his hat, he drew love from his small body,

 and the rivers of his hands
 overflowed with good deeds.

I saw this some months ago on the subway I take to work, part of the “Poetry in Motion” series, that originated in New York and is now in several other cities. The first two lines are so powerful, anything said about them would not do any justice. My father has been, unfortunately, just a memory for many years, but an extremely alive and significant one. He would have turned 68 a few days ago, and I was reminded of this poem on his birthday.

Poetry in Motion® is a program that was developed by the Poetry Society of America and the MTA New York City Transit in 1992 to make bus and subway riding a more pleasurable and enlightening experience. Inspired by a similar program in the London Underground, the program places poem-placards in the spaces usually reserved for advertisements in subway cars and buses. Since its founding 10 years ago, the program has expanded to 14 cities across the country, reaching 13 million people daily. It is funded by the NEA.

— Raj Palaniswamy