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Open Poetry #8
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A Mother's Goodbye Letter (Repost from #1)
| Open Poetry #8 |
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A Mother's Goodbye Letter (Repost from #1) |
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LngJhnAg Member Elite
since 1999-07-23
Posts 3508Boot+Kitty=Poetry in motion 
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I wrote this poem for somebody who was terminally ill and wanted to tell her children not to regret the season of her passing. I hope you find it uplifting, as I did when I wrote it. Dear Children, I know the pain you must feel, The loss in your hearts my absence reveals. As sure as each sunrise, you’ll remember this day, But remember also these words I now say. If it’s in the Spring, days of glorious green, That I’m called homeward though you needed me. Remember these days not as days of regret, But as days of rebirth and promise, instead. For, I’ve loved every Spring, with its cleansing rains, It’s azure blue skies, and new life’s refrains. Please love every blade of bright emerald hue, And remember I’d love those same new blades, too. Do not hate the Spring Perhaps in the Summer I will bid you adieu. I’ll lay down this burden that’s pierced me through. I’ll close weary eyes and breathe easy at last, And slip tenuous bonds that have held me fast. But, it wasn’t the Summer of long lazy days, That loosened life’s grip and took me away. No. I’ve loved every Summer for Winter’s respite, Each warm sunny day, each cool soothing night. Rejoice in the Summer! Throw out your arms wide, Love these halcyon days; I’ll be at you side. Breathe deeply the smells of gold ripening fields, I once breathed them too, when I needed to heal. Do not hate the Summer Oh, wonderful Fall of great harvest moons! Do not let my children lose their love of you. Caress them with your sweet temperate clime, And remind them of our many happier times. Do not blame the Fall if its then I have passed, How I’ve yearned for the harvest that’s come at last. Like grain, life is sown and, when ready, reaped. My life has been fruitful, full of faith and belief. When the trees change to rubies, topaz, and gold, You’ll see treasures I cherished as Nature unfolds. And like the colors in the leaves that drift down to you, I will always be here in whatever you do. Do not hate the Fall If its deep in the Winter you must lay me to rest, Do not hate the short days, and the longer darkness. I’ve loved the beauty of Winter’s crystalline rime, That outshines the dew in warm, sunnier times. Winter covers the world in a blanket of white, The stars are diamonds in a tiara of night. Each breath has an essence clearly revealed, As if I was before you, alive, unconcealed. Yes. I’m there, my children, in your every breath, And its in the Winter when you’ll see me best. So, embrace those chill days when Winter winds call, For its then you will know I’ve not left you at all. Do not hate the Winter So, how do you deal with this great numbing loss? If its not the Seasons, then who pays the cost? This task I have set you will become easier in time, As the legacy I’ve left you becomes your way of life. Do not hate I love you, Mother |
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| © Copyright 2000 Michael Waterman - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Mark Bohannan Member Rara Avis
since 2000-06-21
Posts 7269In the winds of Cherokee song |
Long John- All I can say is that this is the sheer power of beauty which only you can pen so well. I really loved this and it is a pleasure to get to read your wonderous works. |
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RainbowGirl Member Elite
since 1999-07-31
Posts 3023United Kingdom |
Beautifully said Sir..  HUSG |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
Thank you for posting this wonderful piece so I could vote for it...it is one of the best I have read and touched me personally at this time. |
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suthern
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723Louisiana |
Pssst, sailor... absolutely perfect! [This message has been edited by suthern (edited 07-12-2000).] |
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Marge Tindal
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
LongJohn~ What a guy ! This is so beautiful that I've taken the liberty of printing it for my children. I love you for this tenderness shared. ~*Marge*~ ~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~ noles1@totcon.com |
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MagnoliaBlue Member
since 2000-05-12
Posts 367 |
So tender and sweet! Wonderful writing! MagnoliaBlue ~My Skipper Jim I love you! Your Lady June~ |
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Denise
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-08-22
Posts 22648 |
This has a tender healing message, beautifully written. Excellent, Mike! Denise |
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tracie66 Member Elite
since 2000-01-18
Posts 4713Australia |
WOW...you have written this so tenderly and with such love..well done Tracie~ Love is the life of the soul... It is the harmony of the universe |
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Jan Member
since 2000-06-14
Posts 114 |
You've brought tears to my eyes and touched my heart. My husbands father died recently and I am going to share your work with him immediatly. Thank you for sharing this incredible work. |
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angelswing Senior Member
since 2000-02-10
Posts 705United Kingdom |
Truly wounderful, touching poem, I am glad you posted it so I could vote for it, very tender, supportive words, I am so glad you expresed the feelings so well on paper as sometimes the feelings there, it's just expresing it . L.of.L. Tom . Don't try, do or do not, there is no try . - Master Yoda - |
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WhtDove Member Rara Avis
since 1999-07-22
Posts 9245Illinois |
For everything there is a season! You've expressed that more beautifully than I've ever seen done! LJ this is excellent!! |
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kat Member
since 2000-05-20
Posts 387 |
You can write the funniest things and then turn around and write something as warm as this. This is so touching and beautiful. I'm so glad you submitted it for the book. I always enjoy reading your work. kat |
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X Angel Senior Member
since 1999-11-07
Posts 1521Oregon |
This had a wonderfully victorian feel to it, I loved it muchly and am pretty impressed that our class clown can write so gently too. Can't wait to meet ya the end of this month!! ~Heather |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
{{{{{hugs}}}}} Thank you, kind Poet. Sunny ~~~Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow. Helen Keller ~~~ When you want to be loved, look within...KRJ |
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Janet Marie Member Laureate
since 2000-01-22
Posts 18554 |
Long John this is exceptional writing..truly the theme of the seasons is brilliant superb writing kind pirate... and a wonderful reflection of your heart and work to go in the book later-gator jm |
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LngJhnAg Member Elite
since 1999-07-23
Posts 3508Boot+Kitty=Poetry in motion |
Mark - Thanks for those words of encouragement - as with other poets, my muse is fickle, but not unfaithful. I'd like to think I was not unfaithful to her when I wrote this poem Queen - Sweet Cindy - your thoughts mean a great deal to me - thank you for your affirmation of this poem. I wish with all my heart that the setting (but not the circumstances) of this poem could have been the same for you. Your giving, sharing, loving soul blesses these Forums and provide inspiration to us all. Martie - I pray you do not need this poem for the same reason I wrote it. Your spirit and enegry are like a life force for so many of us here. Thank you for your comments. Belle - Of all the poets I know, you are the one who most successfully hides your talent except for those all too rare moments when you slip and write another poem for us to enjoy. So much the lady, you tease us with your beauty. Thank you for that and for so much more. Marge - Printed it for your children? Could there be a finer compliment? I can't think of how. That was a wonderful thing to write. Thank you. Maggie Blue - Thank you for seeing the sweetness I wanted to come through. There can be so much bitterness in loss. Denise - Oh that our words could only heal, Would not we all seek the pen, And thus use the hope we deeply feel, That all wounds and heart swiftly mend. Thank you. Tracie - Thank you - its amazing what inspiration will do, isn't it? Jan - Thank you for your words - I hope your husband will find some comfort in this poem, and I'm sorry for his and your loss. Angelswing - I couldn't agree with you more - there are times when words do not come together in any meaningful way to express loss and sorrow. Thank you for describing those moments when we all find ourselves feeling hopeless to comfort, yet desiring nothing else but that. Little White Dove - Thank you for that wonderful compliment. Winter is not my favorite season, so I struggled a long time to find the words I wrote about Winter. Then, after they came, I began to see the blessings that only Winter can bring us in our time of loss. It made me dislike Winter a little less. The idea that I can see my mother in every breath I take makes me feel closer to her. kat - Thank you for recognizing that I have more than one facet, and for blessing this poem with your comments. Heather - Even clowns can feel, yanno. I, too, am looking forward to meeting you later this month. More mail to come. Sunny - Thank you for those hugs. I'm working on our other commitments. My muse is being a bit pesky right now. Janet Marie - My favorite season is Fall. Perhaps a good challenge to the Forums is for each person to write about their favorite season. |
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wayoutwalt Member Elite
since 1999-06-22
Posts 4870TEXAS (it's all big) |
i love this way lots i do i do good job way cool and full of the ole emotion |
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decardes New Member
since 2000-07-13
Posts 7singapore |
it's such a wonderful poem, filled with colours and texturs..absolutely beautiful decardes |
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notlikely2 Member
since 2000-06-16
Posts 308UK |
YOur poem has touched me deeply. And reminded me of a poem which my own mother gave to me shortly before she died. She had carried with her since my father's death, seven years earlier. I have posted it under the title Lost Awhile. Love is like the mumps.....the older you are, the harder it hits you! |
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notlikely2 Member
since 2000-06-16
Posts 308UK |
Sorry...didn't notice that this was a book submission.....gets my vote!! |
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Sudhir Iyer Member Ascendant
since 2000-04-26
Posts 6943Mumbai, India : now in Belgium |
This is a CLASSIC, Mr. Sailor/Pirate... LngJhnAg, A contemporary piece indeed and I have been missing it for so long.... So glad that I caught up, finally... regards, sudhir. |
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LngJhnAg Member Elite
since 1999-07-23
Posts 3508Boot+Kitty=Poetry in motion |
Walt - Thanks, man - you are still the craziest guy I know. decardes - Thanks for your comments of support - through some quirk of mine, I tend to describe colors in terms of gemstones. I really need to broaden the scope my similes - lol Not - I read your poem - it is lovely, and very sad at the same time. Thanks for posting it, and thank you for your vote. Sudhir - thank you for that compliment. I think we all want to write something that will last beyond this day. |
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