NPM 2019 Day 25: Jade monkey with peach

I traveled to Taiwan, China, and Tibet in 2007. While there, I bought jade figures for both my mother and father. For my mother I selected a hummingbird, for my father a monkey. After my father passed away, I wrote a lot of poetry about him. Here's one centered on that monkey that I've dusted off and revised.

Jade monkey with peach

A small jade monkey
holding a peach
sits on my mantle
just within reach
I often rub its smooth head
proud of the negotiation
skills that brought him
home from Tibet

Dueling calculators the
mode of communication
instead of words there were
head shakes
double takes
rolled eyes
threatened goodbyes
sighs of exasperation
then celebration

A gift for my father
this Chinese symbol
for longevity
that failed to fulfill
its destiny.

Poem ©Tricia Stohr-Hunt, 2019. All rights reserved.


Happy Thursday all. See you tomorrow for another original poem.