“…And the leaves that
Are green turn to brown..
And they wither in the wind,
And they crumble in your hand.”
– Paul Simon
Grandmommy loved reading poems. She was eclectic in her tastes, but her mainstays were Longfellow, Service, Browning and Cummings. They brought her great joy. She admired their creativity, insight and economy of words to convey emotions that touched her very core.
She shared her love of poetry with us and often encouraged us to express ourselves, especially on special occasions, through handwritten notes or poems rather than store bought cards. Little did she know she would continue to inspire us to do so not only during her lifetime, but in her memory.
Here are just a few poems that come from the heart dedicated to Grandmommy.
If you have any of your own to share, please send them to info@wsbydesign.com We look forward to hearing from you!
LOSS
It’s five o’clock. There sits a glass filled with Jack and soda.
Her mind turns to the presidents in hills of South Dakota.
She sips her drink and sighs
and tries to recognize
the things that once had meaning in her time.
Saguaros stand like sentinels in Arizona splendor.
Seems like all of her best dreams were truly meant to end there.
But her body lingered on
well after she was gone
until a desert song beckoned her home.
Left behind are broken hearts, on the desert floor,
drenched by flash floods full of tears and yearning evermore
for an obligatory tune
on day six of every June;
to watch the sun set in her eyes again.
In the wind I hear her singing timeless melodies.
Her lilting voice joins the breeze in perfect harmonies.
Her life was a sweet song
with which we hummed along.
Listen with your heart, the song’s eternal.
It’s getting dark, the drinks are gone as is her wondrous life.
And perhaps because she was so loved, her loss cuts like a knife.
And so I cast my eyes on
the shimmering horizon
to watch the sun set in her eyes again.
– Dan
Blues
(This poem was written to the tune of Blue Velvet)
She had deep blue eyes
Bluer than Tahoe in the sun
Glistening with love for everyone
That she knew
She had deep blue eyes
Bluer than Arizona skies
But how the years go rushing by
‘til they’re gone
Chorus
She held on so tightly
Fighting the undertow
Like mist, she vanished so lightly
And when she left, gone was the glow of
Deep blue eyes
But in our hearts she’ll always be
Cherished in all our memories
Through the years
And I still can see her blue eyes
Through my tears
– Dan
All That I Could Say
You could simply mollify
my demons with a lullaby
which lingered on the pillow until morning.
———————————————————————-
Sorting through old photographs
of birthdays and Thanksgivings..
And they conjured up old memories
of the days when you were living.
The music and the poetry,
the words you always sought from me,
Yet, all that I could say was that I love you.
I took a tour in thought today
to homes where you resided..
And each one had become a shrine
to love you once provided.
Even though you weren’t there,
your laughter was heard everywhere
And all that I could say was that I love you.
Casual conversations
of matters existential,
and how capitulation
to demise is quite essential.
They simply say that life goes on,
“You must accept that she is gone,
and if you look, you know you’ll never find her.”
———————————————————————————
My mother used to take my hand,
and while the fog came creeping,
she would walk me down to school without speaking.
– Dan
