Today, my father would have been 91 years old. On Sunday as the graduates walk across the stage, I'll quietly mark the 8 years since his passing. Then on the 10th, my mother will recall the nearly 57 years they had together, as she marks what would have been their 65th wedding anniversary. I tried to find a picture of them together to share, but couldn't find many because dad was always behind the camera. Here's one I took of them with William from the summer of 2008.
Here's my poem for this month's challenge, offered up today for my dad.
Things to do in May …
Bittersweet this month’s refrain
with joy and laughter, tears and pain
Send graduates into the world
watch April flowers come unfurled
Observe the world with life renewed
as geese and ducks corral their broods
Honor our mothers for all that they do
and those without children who mother us too
Commemorate troops strong and brave
place flags upon their silent graves
Celebrate my father’s birth
mourn his passing from this earth
Before May passes into June
spend some time one afternoon
remembering all that’s good and true
the happy, the sad, the me and you.
Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2017. All rights reserved.
You can read the poems written by my poetry sisters at the links below.
I do hope you'll take some time to check out all the wonderful poetic things being shared and collected today by Jama Rattigan at Jama's Alphabet Soup. Happy poetry Friday friends!
Honoring mothers - and those without children. Ushering one generation out, and a new one in. Sitting and thinking of blessings.
ReplyDeleteA good list of to-dos, I think. ♥
Love the poignancy of your poem -- good things mixed with sadder things. Mother's Day has become harder; can't believe my mom has been gone 4 years already, and then when Memorial Day rolls around at the end of the month, I'll think of her again, and her military service. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteTricia, thank you for sharing about your father today... the sweetness and bitter of May. Also, I've been reading DAKOTA: A Spiritual Geography thanks to your mention of it last month. You touch so many and probably don't even realize it... thank you! xo
ReplyDeleteI love how your poem focuses on memorials and observations.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful tribute to the month of May and to those we've loved and now miss like your father.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. I especially love the last lines -
ReplyDelete"remembering all that’s good and true
the happy, the sad, the me and you."
**tears**
ReplyDeleteThis is my first Mother's Day without one and though I didn't think it would matter so much...it does.
"Observe the world with life renewed/as geese and ducks corral their broods..." There is so much happening in the natural world around us right now. Time to stop and take a look. Thank you for the reminder! Christie @ https://wonderingandwondering.wordpress.com/blog/
ReplyDeleteYou wrote this while you were running?? I love it. You touch upon so much, beautifully.
ReplyDeleteThings to Do Today
ReplyDeleteWrite.
Scheme.
Cross out.
Dream.
Poem.
Two.
Revise.
Renew.
©Jane Yolen all rights reserved
Oh, Tricia. I love the fullness of this--the life, the death, the joy, the sadness. The poem encompasses all of it...beautifully. Hugs
ReplyDeleteBeautiful poem, and lovely last stanza, thanks!
ReplyDelete