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Open Poetry #35
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icebox
Member Elite
since 2003-05-03
Posts 4383
in the shadows

0 posted 2005-04-11 04:31 PM



Somewhere between two and four,
you were old enough to walk,
small enough that I could carry you
without becoming tired,
old enough for talking,
though your sentences
were fragile living things
unsure of their existence,
open ended untied strings of pearls;
you and I went out for ice cream
you liked the kind with chocolate swirls
and lots of multi-colored sprinkles.

It was a date as I recall,
you were complaining,
you who hate to wait
and had waited all day long,
and then of course it began raining
and you wore your brand new favorite shoes
and favorite pinafore with tights,
so  I drove to a friend’s place,
a happy place with colored lights
balloons and streamers,
because he sold the best home made
ice cream for a stormy night
that was a shiny rainy
slightly lightning crinkled dream.

You picked out our treats and table
making sure I could watch the door.
I lifted you into your chair and thanked you,
you said, “Why am here for, daddy.”
mimicking a thought
I’d said to you a thousand times.
The radio was playing
some hackneyed hiphop lines
I could easily ignore.

Then Clapton’s mournful tribute
to his son filled up the air;
I lost my taste for ice cream
and stared at highlights in your hair.

Filled with joy and ice cream,
you slipped down off your chair,  
started dancing in slow circles
to a song you couldn’t understand;
“Bad ice cream daddy?” you asked,
“Here have some I already tried.”
As tears formed in my eyes,
“No, Linka, it’s only dust,” I lied,
while you danced to Old Slow Hand.


©2005 by icebox

© Copyright 2005 icebox - All Rights Reserved
Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049
California
1 posted 2005-04-11 04:35 PM


icebox

My goodness this was touching....that song always makes me cry....as did your poem!  

Seymour Tabin
Member Empyrean
since 1999-07-07
Posts 31720
Tamarac Fla
2 posted 2005-04-11 05:03 PM


icebox
Enjoyed the read.

Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612
Hurricane Alley
3 posted 2005-04-11 05:50 PM


A beautiful touching picture...lovely.
nakdthoughts
Member Laureate
since 2000-10-29
Posts 19200
Between the Lines
4 posted 2005-04-11 07:46 PM


I can picture this~~~

sighing
M

Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049
California
5 posted 2005-04-12 10:48 AM


Sending this to the top again to be read by more.  
Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354
Listening to every heart
6 posted 2005-04-12 10:51 AM


I read this yesterday
and was left thinking
long and hard...

on how quickly it all goes.

Local Rebel
Member Ascendant
since 1999-12-21
Posts 5767
Southern Abstentia
7 posted 2005-04-12 10:02 PM


I took the training wheels off my youngest's bike on Sunday.  My oldest got lost in the superstore.  Three times.

I don't have anything clever or insightful to say here -- it's just something mom's and dad's understand.

That you write it out so well seems to be almost beside the point.

Thanks

passing shadows
Member Empyrean
since 1999-08-26
Posts 45577
displaced
8 posted 2005-04-13 04:02 AM


dang icey

wow

Susan Caldwell
Member Rara Avis
since 2002-12-27
Posts 8348
Florida
9 posted 2005-04-13 12:36 PM


"Somewhere between two and four,
you were old enough to walk,
small enough that I could carry you
without becoming tired,
old enough for talking,
though your sentences
were fragile living things
unsure of their existence,
open ended untied strings of pearls;
you and I went out for ice cream
you liked the kind with chocolate swirls
and lots of multi-colored sprinkles"

I am not sure how we connect sometimes but it does leave me wondering...

I saw you had posted this before, a couple of times, but didn't read as I was busy. Today...the day after my son moved out very suddenly...I read it, not knowing what it was about.  

That isn't an accident.  So, thank you.  

*kiss*

"too bad ignorance isn't painful"
~Unknown~

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