Shapiro cannot recite any of his poetry by heart, but he can reel off countless songs and poems by others. At his new place in Hillsborough, Shapiro shares a cassette tape featuring his brother David and his fiance, Ellen. Accompanied only by piano, they recorded the piece in fall of 1998 for a friend looking to produce a new musical. The song is uncharacteristically quiet, as David had a big, booming voice. It is also heartbreaking, as the older brother's majestic tenor soars and swoons with the piano.
Some people wish.
Yet never try. They cast a coin, the years go way. But you and I can rise above. Doing just the things that others only dream of. When the music is over, Shapiro plays a videotape David made three weeks before his death.