Was it to be a woven willow casket –
or maybe a bio-degradable one –
a ‘natural burial’, perhaps, at Olney?
Or then again – maybe your ashes
thrown to the tide off Southwold Pier;
‘Child of the Sea’, as you were.
Would I make sure, everyone all
wore bright colours; no black allowed,
you stressed, with that smile of yours...
Even the vicar, you quipped, with
a glint in those blue-gray eyes.
And how about the music? How
about, All Creatures Great and Small –
Clair de Lune; both pieces you played,
so well, on piano, I suggested.
It wasn’t to be called a ‘funeral’...
more, ‘A Celebration of Life’, you said,
and there had to be flowers – hundreds
and hundreds of them.
I wanted to tell you this was tearing
me apart – that I could never have imagined,
in my worst nightmare, the scenario
that afternoon... sitting on a bed
discussing all this with you...
wanted to admit, that enough was enough –
ask you, would I ever be able to conjure
you up, as you were then... looking out
the window at the tangled hedgerow...
so calm – so innocent so vulnerable.
Tomorrow was all you ever longed for.
Winter jasmine was in bloom; its star-like
fragrant blossom fair singing, from deep
within that darkling scrim.
Comments
rjnewlyn | August 11, 2011 - 00:41
Very sad but very beautiful. I love the way that nature and the sense of a remembered moment come in so effortlessly.
Rob
Highhat | August 11, 2011 - 07:34
I also like the way you weave nature into your poems. This must have been so unreal and sad for you. Hard to imagine for me. Impossible!
;)Pia
Silver Spun Sand | August 11, 2011 - 09:05
Thanks, Rob. I really appreciate your words.
Tina
Silver Spun Sand | August 11, 2011 - 09:09
Hello there, Pia;-)
Thanks, so much for what you said. It is, indeed, a memory that is never far from my thoughts.
Tina
Cavalcaderl | August 11, 2011 - 09:24
new Silver-Spun-Sand
A beautiful but sadness, in poem,
of images, and beauty plus dear memories.
Congrats: on the cherry! Just seen.
Have a nice day, in your garden of beauty
you creat and paint.
julie xx
Silver Spun Sand | August 11, 2011 - 10:21
Good morning, Julie;-)
Pleased you read this one, and that you liked it.
Speaking of my garden, as you were, I was up just after dawn this morning and there was a red deer nibbling my rose bushes;-)
Have a good day;-)
Tina xx
skinner_jennifer | August 11, 2011 - 10:55
Dear Tina,
this was such a sad and wonderful poem, it reminded
me of sitting in the hospice with my dad and he
said to me, 'soon I will be taking my last journey.'
and he held my hand as he said it, then he said.
'I hope I can see another day, another week, another
year, but I fear I won't.'
Like you said, I wish I could conjure that day up,
like I do in my mind, but sadly all we have are
memories of another time, another place.
I know it's hard to celebrate a person's life,
when all you really want to do is grieve, but it
seems that most people that die, want you to
celebrate rather than mourn, but it's hard isn't it?
This again is a great tribute to what I think is
about your daughter, who passed away.
By the way, it must have been wonderful to see a
Red Deer, you have so much wonderful nature where
you live, it must be wonderful.
Thankyou again for the read.
You have a wonderful day.
Jenny.
Silver Spun Sand | August 11, 2011 - 11:01
Jenny - thank you, so very much, for sharing those cherished memories you have of your dad. It's so strange because my daughter too, toward the very end, spoke about the same thing, and also that there was an old man she could glimpse just over her shoulder, who was going with her. She could never be sure who he was, but she often spoke of him just the same. Then she would smile.
Tina;-)
seashore | August 11, 2011 - 16:41
What a lovely poem, Tina.
Silver Spun Sand | August 11, 2011 - 17:19
Thank you, Coral;-) Tina
MistakenMagic | August 11, 2011 - 19:39
A truly beautiful poem, Tina - about someone so beautiful inside and out, I'm certain ;-) Love that final stanza, it's like the fade out at the end of a classic film!
Magic xxx
Silver Spun Sand | August 11, 2011 - 19:48
What a lovely thing to say, Magic. Thank you;-)
Tina xxx
Prettyrose | August 11, 2011 - 19:58
Perfect :)
Love it just how I always try to inspire people to think about passing, a funeral, rather a celebration of life not pain of going.
loved it and a well deserved Cherri well done :)
Keep Smiling
Keep Writing :)
Trish :)
Cavalcaderl | August 11, 2011 - 23:03
new Silver-Spun-Sand
Thanks for comment.
You must be tired up at dawn.
looking after red deer nibbling
your rose bush, shouldn't think you'd
be very happy. What beautiful things appear,
in your garden though! Have a good day.
Reading at the library not wht I expected.
It was a sit down, and free book, discussion
pass it on,only six,mentioned drop in and I phoned,
so took it as be a lot,chose couple AbcTales poems,
said could read. Only on the book, three in charge read. I did a bit, and the AbcTales said look at, never did. They did make a nice cup of tea. Thought
paper stated readings book phone number over 50's.
Thinking any kind of group, queue up read there's and mine AbcTales,not so, one got told off, stating fruits of story chapter, in her home too.The friend came,over by 5pm making rock n roll under skirt, hectic. Jeremy Irons is taking the great part,of the pope Alexander of the bougias time,and time of poison ring, that made me do
the poem My beautiful ring.poison ring etc; On Atlantica sky,episodes, don't have so can't watch, remember Brides head revisited,
think The Mission in too.Do you!
Have a nice week-end.
julie xx
RachelPatricia | August 12, 2011 - 00:05
It has all been said, Tina - this is a stunning poem that moved me almost to tears, you word things in ways that leave me constantly amazed and inspired and every single one of your poems is as beautiful as the last, and this is no exception :)
Thank you so much for such a wonderful read, and many congrats on the cherries :)
Rachel xx
Silver Spun Sand | August 12, 2011 - 08:44
Rachel - your words, more than appreciated. Thank you, so very much.
Tina xx