My Dad Who Taught Me to Write

One day when I was six years old
I sat on my Daddy's knee
he gave me hugs and read me books
reciting poetry

he told me of some poets
of now and long ago
Shakespeare, Frost and Browning
Walt Whitman and Edgar Poe

he showed me all of his books
with those beautiful poems of old
and some of his own on paper
tucked neatly inside the fold

and so at the age of six
my Dad taught me to write
and in my childish printing
I wrote words cliche and trite

one day when no one saw
I took one of his books
snuck it into my room
and curled up in a nook

reading those lovely words
filled my childish soul with glee
wanting to pen my own
in important books of poetry

on the inside cover of the book
there was an empty space
and so, my very first poem
grew into that lonely place

my Dad passed on, some years ago
but he left me with some gifts
of love for him and love for words
with power to uplift

some years later, my Mother
gave me that special tome
by then, I had forgotten
where I'd written my very first poem

when I opened the front cover
it stared right back at me
written about my new baby sister
in childish verse, unrhymed and free

Lyra

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled"  Gwendolyn Brooks

(smiles) Awwwwwwww, this is such a gorgeous tribute to your loving and wonderful dad, sweet friend, I know he will always be blessed to have such a loving and angelic daughter...you! (kiss on cheek) My hero who taught me to write poetry is my 10th grade tacher Mr. Ernewein, who actually was born in Belgium and he oved to America when he was 8, where he went through a childhood of grief just as I have. Though I was able to read ever since I was 3 years old, I never knew how to express myself and my teacher grew up to become strong and learn to write and he taught me that I should never be ashamed of what I feel and express it openly! (kiss on cheek) This is wonderful, sweet friend, God Bless You, we all love you so much!



May love and light always shine upon you!

Love,
Noah Eaton

"Underneath your clothes there's an endless story..."

Shakira

Everything is possible in the game of life
    (Simple Minds-Promised You a Miracle)

Thanks so much, Noah...it sounds as if you had a wonderful teacher...
and he was certainly right about teaching you to never be ashamed of expressing yourself....and you, certainly do that very very well.

~ hugs of poetic expression

Lyra

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled"  Gwendolyn Brooks

Thanks so much, Tracey...our parents usually try to leave us with a legacy which will remind us of them....
LOL the cooking...
My Dad was a pharmacist and he tried to talk me into being one also, but I hated chemistry so much...well, at least he did leave me with a love of words!

~ hugs of legacy

Lyra

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled"  Gwendolyn Brooks

Thanks for your reply, Karilea...but that first poem is really embarassing and besides its on the inside cover of a hard covered book, so it would be pretty hard to post the whole book here...

~ old poetry hugs

Lyra

copyright2002 Lyra Nesius

"poetry is life distilled"  Gwendolyn Brooks