Tag: Memories

Poems From the Circle

On By Piano girl4 Comments

Once again, sharing poems from the writing circle. I continue to be grateful for this experience. Can’t believe it’s been three years! Thank you, Ali, http://flashlightbatteries.blog for creating this beautiful space. ❤️

Sweet Dreams

Can you imagine?
Camping in the woods
Red-orange glow
Of the campfire
Smell of smoke
Sleeping in a tent
So serene…until
Seven little girls
Bathing in a
Small tin tub
On top of a
Wooden picnic table
Enter the picture-
Warm water carefully
Poured over each
Little head
The night air
Filled with giggles
As they dry off
In front of the fire-
Maybe not so serene
Except for the
Sweet dreams
Of sleepy headed
Children after
A busy day
Exploring
The wonders
Of the wild woods

A Little Longer

I seem to be
Spending
More time
Inside my heart
These days
Blocking out
The noisy world
Ignoring my own
Thoughts
So as not
To neglect
A single memory of you-
I know some
Will fade
With time
But for now
It is my heart
That holds
Each image
Your quiet strength
Your gentle smile
Your sky-blue eyes
It is a sacred job
This holding
So, I think
I will remain
Inside my heart
Just a little longer

Smiles and Tears

On By Piano girl9 Comments

Memories of you
Make me smile
Fried chicken leg
In my little hands
Sitting in your lap
At the table
You are smiling
Wearing a white t-shirt-
Maybe that is
An actual picture
Not a memory-
Little red wagon
Transportation
For your first
Grandchild, smiling
As you pulled him
Around the neighborhood
Now that one
I can recall-
No longer having
The opportunity
To make memories
With you makes me cry-
A human response
I know-time spent
In the present
In the physical
Where Memories
Are created
For the future
But we are
So much more
Than the physical
Standing
In this present
Space and time
And though I may not
Understand it all
And sometimes
Feel sadness
In every strand
Of my being
All the way
To the core
Hope lives both
In the smiles
And in the tears

Question of the Day

On By Piano girl4 Comments

Where do I start?
Is start the right word?
Perhaps, a better choice
Would be continuing…
The next step
The next word
May come
A bit easier
Not that easier
Is the goal
No, my goal
Should be
Living, loving
Remembering
All of which
Miraculously
Occur in one
Solitary second
A single step
Where the body
Carries the soul
As the heart
Continues to drum

Simply Sunday

On By Piano girl1 Comment

Safekeeping

There are
Those days
I wish time
Could freeze
Temporarily
Of course
Just long
Enough
For my heart
To capture
The images
I never want
To forget-
Just long
Enough to
File them away
For safekeeping
So upon recall
They may help
Thaw any
Heartache-
There are
Those days
I wish time
Could freeze

Word List

On By Piano girl3 Comments

I started the day with a two-minute word list writing exercise. Set the timer, start writing, and see where it goes. My list, not surprisingly, began with sadness and tears. But it ended with hope and future.

I haven’t used this exercise in a while. I’m glad I chose it today. Grateful for where it led.

My dad was proud of his grandkids and loved them very much. You can see it in the pictures. And they know it in their hearts.

He was so excited about becoming a great-grandpa. Even though he had not met this sweet new baby, he already loved her.

I know her mom and dad will tell her stories about all her great-grandparents someday. All the while, writing new stories to be shared in the future.

I can’t wait to meet our granddaughter…💗

What Do I Expect?

On By Piano girl8 Comments

When talking
To my mom
On the phone-
To hear my dad
In the background
How’s my little girl?

When visiting
The house
Where I grew up-
To see him walking
Down the hall or
Standing in the kitchen

When far away
In my own home
Living my daily life-
To picture them
In my mind’s eye
By each other’s side

Each represents a truth
I have witnessed
Year after year
But sometimes
Life requires a change
Of expectations

Death is no exception.

Tho its shifts remain
Partially hidden
Until their time
Otherwise, we
Might not love
Quite so fiercely

Brushstrokes

On By Piano girl6 Comments

Skillfully painted
Across the sky
Filling time
And space
One after another
Some clearly
Defined
Like the bright
Blue of a happy
Childhood day
Others, fuzzy
Around the edges
Like the moody purple
Of teenage angst
With every color
And shade
In between
Defined or blurred
Each opens a door
To recollections
Of the past
Or dreams
For the future
Joy and sorrow
Love and loss
Life and death
Each painting
Their own part
In the big picture

A Perfect Day

On By Piano girl18 Comments

Clean haircut
Refreshing
Especially after
More than a week
Of laying in
A hospital bed
Pleasant drive
Past the lake
And back
Sweetheart
By his side
Drive-thru
Grilled
Chicken
Salad
Unsweet tea
Sweetly
Predictable
Quiet evening
At home
Thankful
To be there
Watching
Grand Ole Opry
On the T.V.
One of his
Favorites
Stayed awake
Past ten o’clock
Sweetly
Unusual
A perfect
Last day
This side
Of heaven
For a quiet
Man of faith
Who could not
Possibly know
The far reaches
Of his influence

I thought I heard his voice yesterday. Keep waiting for him to walk down the hallway or see him standing in the kitchen. Wishing he was sitting in his chair instead of me. I know he’s no longer here, but my heart won’t let me stop looking.

My dad worked hard his whole life. His rough hands offered proof. Health issues these past few years forced him to slow down. No more hammers, nails, lumber, or ladders. I know it was hard for him at times. But he rarely complained. Even when reminded to use his cane for balance, to wear his hearing aids, or asked where his glasses were.

There is so much to remember. So much to share. But today, I am thinking about the last day. It was a good one. ❤️

A Gift of Music

On By Piano girl7 Comments

The music store was one of my favorite places to visit as a little girl. I was so excited to browse the new piano sheet music and beg my mom for a new song. Are there any bad words? She would always ask if it was a pop song. No! I would reassure her.

I was recently gifted a stack of piano music. Thumbing through the pages took me right back to those childhood days. And each piece, familiar and unfamiliar, reminded me that music truly is a precious gift.

I recorded a couple of the songs. Enjoy! ❤️

Raindrops Keep Falling On My head

Lara’s Theme from Doctor Zhivago

Until Next Year

On By Piano girl8 Comments

Little birds
And bows
Snowflakes
And icicles
Packed away
Carefully
Until next year…
Next year
I’m still
Thinking about
This year
At least for
One more day
Well, actually
Longer than that
I would imagine-
People, places
And things
Sprinkled thru
The days, weeks
And months
Mostly the people
And their impact
On my life-
Memories
Unlike the
Little birds
And bows
Snowflakes
And icicles
Have no need
Of being
Carefully
Packed away