The Five Year Gift

By jeand

Wed, 26 Nov 2014
  • 2239 reads
10 comments
 

What's the gift they recommend

When you've coped for five long years

To live without your loving spouse

With all the worries and fears

 

To know the weight of money woes

and bad investments made

Decisions never seemed so hard

While family problems played

 

To deal with empty house and bed

And how to cook for one

Now the ceiling leaks again

Don't know what's to be done

 

Your grave is full of nasty weeds

A woodland site we chose

The view is good, but how I wish

That I could plant a rose.

 

I've writ a book, compiled bits

Of memories of you

I'm better now at being alone

That more time helps is true.

 

So here's to you, my lovely man

And five more years of grave

I'll drink a toast to what we had

Thanks loads for all you gave.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Certificate U
Poem
Poetry
Autobiography

Comments

Submitted by Bee on

Jean, this poem touched my heart with it's honesty and thankfulness. A woodland grave is just the best because of the life it still supports. It's what I would like, but I totally understood that longing to plant a rose. Perhaps you could plant a woodland rose? 

Loved your poem and lovely picture of your man, too. 

Bee

Submitted by jeand on

Thanks Bee

The rules of the woodland burial site are that nobody but their workers are allowed to plant anything. They promise a tree for every burial, and Philip has had several planted all of which have died. And they regularly plant bulbs all over the site, so in spring it is very lovely.

Jean

Jean Day

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

This is so lovely, Jean.

Submitted by jeand on

Thanks Helen

Jean

Jean Day

Submitted by Starfish Girl on

A lovely tribute Jean and beautifully written.

I remember after Philip died you used to write letters to him, telling him about the family and about your life without him.

You really should put all of those things into a book.

Lindy

 

Submitted by jeand on

Thanks Lindy

I have got all the Dear Philip stories in the form where I could put them into a book   - but just for family use. I think maybe five years of doing it is a good time to stop.

Jean

Jean Day

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

You've highlighted from personal experience the different difficulties of coping after the immediate trauma of illness and loss, in a helpful way, Jean. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by jeand on

thanks Rhiannon for reading and commenting.

Jean

Jean Day

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Jean is there any way you could create a small memorial containing your poem and place this at Philip's burial site, maybe hanging it from a tree? Not sure what the rules of the site are but it would work for his visitors when they came to see him. In addition to the rose. A truly heartfelt poem.
 

Submitted by jeand on

Thanks very much Elsie. The rules of the woodland burial site are that there are no markers at all, so unless you have memorised where your grave is, there is nothing to guide you. So your idea, as nice as it is, wouldn't work.

Jean

Jean Day