 |
I am participating in the
All participants are sharing stories about moments in their lives, writing
every day for the month of March 2021.
Thank you, Two Writing Teachers, for nurturing teacher-writers!
The morning after
my father died
last September
the sky was cloudy and gray
then the sun peeked through
pausing me
drawing me
embracing me
momentarily
a friend calls this
God's eye
she shouts
Hello, God!
I thought it more
a wink
a hello
a "you'll be okay"
from Dad
No, I'm not confusing
my Dad
with God
I just needed that
reveal of sun
in the midst of the dark
to imagine Dad
around
Now, exactly six months
feeling his absence
can you believe
the sun winked at me
again?
all along my walk
up and down the streets
in the midst of dreary and gray
there's that wink
of sun
breaking through
pausing me
drawing me
embracing me
tenderly
brightening my day
remembering
And when great souls die,
after a period peace blooms,
slowly and always,
irregularly
- Maya Angelou
Such a sweet poem. And the quote from Maya Angelou is so a propos. I've just sent it to a friend whose husband died in November and needs that bolstering. And I will send her your poem as well. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I am so sorry for your friend; that is a terrible loss.
DeleteI've seen the sun wink like that at moments of great stress...I am confident it is a message of hope for those who despair.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry for your loss in this season where it it hard/impossible to share our grief with others in ways we should. May there be many more winks from the sun to assure you of hope.
Yes, I definitely see it as a message of hope. It is just rare enough to be a real pleasure when seen!
DeleteWhat a great way to think of the sun and the memories of your father. May the warm memories of your father always surround- especially when you need them most.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I appreciate this!
DeleteThis is comforting. A great way to remember your Dad, this means he will be winking at you from time to time. The repeated words in the poem, 'pauses' us to think.
ReplyDeleteThis is comforting. A great way to remember your Dad, this means he will be winking at you from time to time. The repeated words in the poem, 'pauses' us to think.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Juliette! Yes, "he will be winking" which is really nice....
DeleteTHis was beautiful, thanks for sharing this slice. After losing a cousin several years ago, my family is always on the lookout for "anna winks" so I definitely understand that feeling.
ReplyDeleteThank you. These gifts from nature help us with our grief.
DeleteI have lost both of my parents and I completely believe in signs. I will add "winks" to my list. Thank you for giving me space to pause and feel the loss alongside you. These feelings are bittersweet for sure.
ReplyDeleteThank you for feeling the loss alongside me!
DeleteSo moving! I know he's keeping an eye on you.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteThis piece could have been written in paragraphs, but I'm so happy you chose to format it as a poem. It was lovely and elongated, both to look at and to read. I love the idea of 'winking' - for me, it holds more of a special personality than 'smiling down'.
ReplyDeleteDad would be winking, I have no doubt! Thank you for your comment.
DeleteThis piece is a lovely way to share the way your dad keeps a close eye on you still.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I believe so.
DeleteThis is a lovely poem. Nature has a way of signaling us, of telling us the earth is still firing, and we can keep moving, too. I saw the earth wink today, too. Peace to you, my friend.
ReplyDeleteYes, I love these signs from nature, telling us to keep on, keeping on!
DeleteMaureen, what a gorgeous poem and memory of your dear father at the six-month anniversary of his death. The lovely and noticeable part of your poem for me is the repeated refrain:
ReplyDeletepausing me
drawing me
embracing me
momentarily
Just momentarily the day after, when it was so raw, but then after a time to settle the recognition of his tender embrace in the wink:
pausing me
drawing me
embracing me
tenderly
Thanks, Denise! Yes, I am going to consider those little sun bursts on a cloudy day as a tender embrace!
Delete