The Art of Letting Go

Cherry

By Silver Spun Sand

Wed, 05 Mar 2014
  • 2223 reads
17 comments
 
A balloon wafted over my yard today...
reminded me of a Mother’s Day
six years ago, now. My daughter
gave me two; a blue one, and a red one.
 
It was the first Mother’s Day since
she’d become ‘an only child’; 
her words, not mine. The way
she saw things, since her sister died.
 
The blue balloon was from her
and the red one – Sophie’s.  
 
I put them in the lounge,
either side of the fireplace – watched
them each evening, bib and bob in the draft. 
 
In a week, give them the liberty they crave,
she’d said, but a week came and went; 
one month – or two.  
 
They’d deflated a little, as balloons tend
to do, and every time I saw her she’d ask if
I’d done it yet and I had to say, No...
 
and then, one morning, when the brown,
frowning hills seemed to bear down on me,
losing their patience with my dalliance
 
I went outside, balloons in tow, walked
through our field to the top of the hill, where
the three of us would often sit, with its view
of the house, and a distant church; a place
she'd called Tranquility.
 
The wind tugged at the strings, goading
me on, or was it Sophie?  Remembering 
how hard it was for her, at the end, 
and how she taught me...then
the art of letting go.
 
 
Certificate 12
Poem
Silver Spun Sand Poems
Love
Autobiography

Comments

Submitted by HarryC on

Wonderful!  smiley

I could sense that ending coming - but it still caught me out.

It's a perfect expression, Tina.  You get it just right every time.
 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thanks, Stan.  Much obliged to you.

Tina

 

Submitted by adld on

Lovely poem beutifully and simple told

adld

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

My thanks to you for reading, adld, and for sharing your thoughts.

Tina

 

Submitted by Starfish Girl on

Brought tears and goose bumps but with some sort of peace at the end.

Beautiful.

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

SG...some sort of peace, yes... I hope so.

Thank you, for your beautiful words.

Tina

 

Submitted by Bee on

Read through tears. Beautiful!

Bee

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Obliged to you, Bee.

Tina

 

Submitted by Bee on

 

Bee

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Such an interesting, pictorial story told so well as usual, Tina, and the last 2 lines so special. Both your girls encouraged you in many ways, and you them, I think. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Good morning, Rhiannonsmiley

I think, and I hope, you're right.

Tina

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Hi Tina,

some times we need a little help from Mother Nature to let go,  as in that last stanza;  about the wind tugging at the strings.

I was drawn to this poem,  as being somewhat of a hoarder,  I could identify with this one.  I still find it hard to let go of a lot of my parents items,  even though I know they're of no use to me,  it's still comforting to have them around.

A poem that gave me food for thought.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Hi there, Jenny,

So pleased this poem meant so much to you, and it was interesting reading your thoughts.

Many thankssmiley

Tina

 

Submitted by RJF on

Really moving Tina, it gave me goosebumps and I didn't want it to end. R

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thanks, RJF.  Such a lovely thing to say. Appreciated.

Tina

 

Submitted by Denzella on

Tina,

You express love and sadness so beautifully in this poem as with the two balloons which for me represent the two emotions I have mentioned as well as the two sisters.  Every time you put pen to paper somehow...you achieve.

Wonderful,

Moya

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thanks, Moya.  A very special poem for me, as you can imagine, and your words mean a great deal to me.

Tina