Strange to think
My voice sounds
Different to your ears
Than to mine-
An awareness
Only realized
When recorded
And played back-
Like listening
To a stranger
Nothing at all
Like the voice
Inside my head-
Sounds odd to me
But you don’t
Seem to mind-
I guess all that
Truly matters
Is for the voice
Inside my head
To match the one
Inside my heart
The recorded poem is from my latest collection, Quiet Embers: Poetry of Faith. Available here: https://a.co/d/89QGhz8 💜
Happily sitting
Soaking
In the smiles
An observer
Of the ones
Who make me
What I am
And fill me
To my core
Precious days
Marked by traditions
And Celebration
Momentary stops
On this continuing
Path called
Carrying Grief
Where the hellos
Grow sweeter
And the goodbyes
Last longer-
A temptation
To hold on too tight
Tries to sneak in
But letting go
Through the tears
Is the only way
To feel fresh air
Enter my lungs
Clear my head
And heal my heart
This Christmas holiday season has been sweet. So much laughter and thoughtful gifts, surrounded by my family. Not to mention the yummy food!
But I was not prepared for the goodbyes.
Goodbyes are reminders of missing. And we are all missing Dad. The goodbyes brought tears and swells of grief. But they also left behind gratitude. A reminder that the depth of missing matches the depth of love.
I took a step
Into the cold
Where heavy
Shadows held
The quiet morning
In stillness-
One more step
And the motion
Of sunbeams
Began to light
The tiptop
Of the day-
A few more steps
Morning’s shadows
Were left behind
As affectionate
Sunlight reached
The ground below
And I walked
Into the day
Thankful for
The Love that
Creates the shade
While pushing
The darkness away
I hope you enjoy a few of my favorite decorations and carols. Wishing you the joy and peace of Christmas! ❤️
Since Dad passed, Mom has asked several times if there was anything of his I wanted. Initially, I took a couple of his sweater vests. I knew how much he liked wearing them. My mother-in-law made a sweet teddy bear from them that now sits in my studio.
When Mom would ask again, I really couldn’t think of anything else. That is, until this past weekend.
While in Little Rock picking up Mom for Christmas, I noticed my niece wearing one of Dad’s Razorback sweatshirts. It made me smile. And it helped us talk about him and how much we miss him. So, I asked about his other Razorback shirts.
Mom brought out two long-sleeve T-shirts and a jacket for me. I wasn’t sure if I’d wear them, but having them seemed right. If you know my dad, you know he loved to cheer on the Razorbacks. If they happened to be playing on network TV, he would watch. Otherwise, he had his radio nearby and tuned in to listen.
Well, today is Christmas Eve. And I decided to try on one of the shirts with some black leggings. Turned out to be the perfect choice. I miss him so much. But today, I am smiling as I remember.
Holding
My breath
Muscles tense
Heart racing
Afraid to move-
You take my hand
It’s ok-breathe
I feel my lungs
Expand
Deep breath
Fresh air
Relaxing
In your care
Unable to
Completely
Close off
My heart
As we
Breathe
In time
Together
Yesterday, I celebrated my 56th birthday! And my oldest son celebrated his 29th. I’ve been a mom for 29 years. This year, I watched as my son became a parent. And Gigi is now on the list of names to which I answer. What a gift!
Sometimes
Autumn leaves
Fall quickly
In an unexpected
Whirlwind
Causing whiplash
Not enough time
To sit underneath
Their wise shelter
No time to say
Farewell
Sometimes
Gentle rains
Arrive late
And the colors
Of Autumn are
Slow to change
Lovely leaves
Hold on just
A bit longer
An extended farewell
Still not enough time
There is never
Enough time
When it comes to
Goodbyes
I was anxious about the day-our first Thanksgiving without Dad. It was a lovely day. I enjoyed catching up with my extended family. Laughing with my husband and grown children. Snuggling with my sweet granddaughter.
Thinking about how to handle my emotions before the day arrived proved helpful. Though I missed Dad, I did not want it to be a sad day.
There was a moment when tears began to swell. I took a deep breath and snuggled sweet Emi a little closer. Then watched the day unfold-thankful.
Currently
The tiniest
Of us all
Not helpless
Yet, in need of
Assistance
Not a bother
On the contrary—
Your arrival
Single-handedly
Drew joy from
Deep within
Even those of us
Learning to live
With grief-
We knew
You were on your way
Still, your arrival
Caught us by
Surprise
Or maybe
The surprise
Was the love
Suddenly spilling out
When you opened
Your newborn eyes
Piano Girl 