Friday, September 15, 2017

A Traded Line

Today is Poetry Friday, hosted by our Pretty Witty Ditty Lady, Michelle at Today's Little Ditty.

This year my mother's been gone for 14 years, my dad for 16.  They both died in September, so it is a sobering time. Add to it that my father's funeral was on 9/11/01.  We watched the planes as we finished dressing to go to the funeral, all the while wondering if we were safe leaving the house...or safe staying... then deciding it didn't matter.  The world was closed down that day, but I had to keep going.

Then two years later, on September 14, Mom died.  Her funeral was on 9/18/03, the day Washington, DC, was shut down for Hurricane Isabel.  My siblings and I joked about how our parents' deaths were just too much for our country to handle...everything went to pieces when they died.

Every September since 2001 there have been such mixed emotions.  Our wedding anniversary (45 this year) is September 9th.  And of course, it's also the first two weeks of school starting up.  I think it's always good to get all the special days in in a couple weeks of each other if you can arrange it!  Everything is so mixed then, there's no clear, single emotion.  I'm sure that must be good for you in some crazy way.

That is all said as background to the poem today.  When lines were offered for trade, by Linda Mitchell a few weeks ago, I left a line from Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm: "full of sparkles the livelong day", and I nabbed "I met Glory after a long day and one long night."... Actually, it picked me.  I didn't use it as an opening line - it's in the middle.  So using the poetic license I hold to do such things, I used it that way.  I can't be arrested. 

So here it is - most of it - it's missing a few stanzas that I have on hold, not sure if I want them.  I'm also not sure of the order of the last three stanzas, but I guess I can switch them some other time.  I was not going to post this, but felt the need to do something with it, so here it is, in honor of Mom:

Meeting Glory

We, her grown up children,
Together all around her,
Talked of times, and laughed a lot
To lovingly surround her.

Hours passed and still we sat
Engaged in reminiscing,
A glorious day till evening came
Then one by one dismissing;

She waved us to our roads back home
With her promise of tomorrow,
But there was no more time to spend
And no more time to borrow.

She waved herself on down the road,
Declaring "I met Glory!"
After a long day and one long night,
She'd started her new story.

No more our mother’s hand to hold,
No more a long, dark night;
Glory holds her hand instead,
And blessedly in Light.

She’d vowed not to be carried
Up the stairs again to church;
True to her word, that Sunday morn
She watched from Glory’s perch.


By Donna JT Smith
July 28, 2017 revised Aug. 15, 2017

15 comments:

  1. What a month! I'd like to give you a hug, but in lieu of that, I'll tell you how much I like the inside joke you and your siblings share. Also, your poem gave me chills, Donna. I don't know what stanzas you left out, but it feels complete to me. Wishing you a belated 45th wedding anniversary!

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    1. That should be a belated HAPPY 45th wedding anniversary. (Doh!)

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  2. This has such a beautiful rhythm and flow to it, Donna. I get a sense of your Mum in peace and serenity waiting to meet Glory.

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    1. Oh, she certainly was ready and waiting! Such a peace!

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  3. What a month for you, Donna and all the siblings, too. One of my grandmother's birthdays is Sept. 11th, so I do remember her, but now, more. Happy Anniversary. That is a special one, so congratulations. Your poem connects to me about family who've passed on. It is beautiful, and I love "After a long day and one long night,/She'd started her new story." Your rhythm and rhyme is so pleasing to me.

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    1. I'm glad it connects to more than my story. Sometimes it's hard to tell, when it is so personal, if it will be more than just one person's story. The parts I left out made it more "person specific" and so I'm glad I left them out.

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  4. Sympathies and hugs, Donna. I feel my mother's loss around her birthday, and I light a candle for her then. I'm glad you've placed your mother in Glory, that is a lovely photo and poem. You are lucky to have siblings to console you.

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    1. She kind of placed herself in Glory! Looking forward to the day I see her and Dad again... but lots to do here first!! LOL!

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  5. Such a lovely verse--so reassuring. I can understand your loss. I lost my father on September 9, 1990--he was far too young at age 67. This date is also my sister's birthday which makes for an irony in the celebration.

    My mother died in November of 2014 and I feel her loss even more since it was not all that long ago. I used to call my mother every day and now I miss those calls.

    Parents are such a treasure. We should recognize that while they are with us.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

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    1. You never stop missing them. I still have so many questions and things I want to share with them. They are such mentors and friends.

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  6. What a month--and what a poem. It is such a loving tribute to your mom. I hope you and your siblings find comfort in it as you remember all the mixed up emotions this month brings.

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    1. I sent it to them - as they don't read my blog ever...LOL!

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  7. OH, Donna! This is so beautiful. I knew as soon as I saw the title....because I skipped ahead to the poem....where the line came from and what a gorgeous rendering of that line into a whole work. I will be thinking of my mother today on Glory's perch. Hugs and high-fives to you dear friend.

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    1. Thanks, Linda. I knew the poem was there when I read your line!

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  8. Donna, this is a gorgeous tribute poem to your Mom! The lines flow so naturally, it reminds me of a song or hymn. Thanks for sharing this beautiful, heartfelt poem!

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