The Making of Love

Cherry

By Silver Spun Sand

Tue, 09 Feb 2016
  • 2455 reads
12 comments
 
Sunday – Mum and Dad’s ‘lie-in’. My turn
to get breakfast. Creep up the stairs...peep through 
a crack in their bedroom door.
 
Catch my breath; my dad – dressing my mum;
brushing – plaiting her hair, so carefully. Talking
in a special kind of voice, like when our cat 
was having her kittens....
 
He sings to her...softly, at first, then his timbre
takes on a certain sense of urgency....‘Bringing in the Sheaves’, 
he tells her.  ‘You know this one, love.  Remember?’
 
Says for her to join in. Come on, pet...you recall 
the words...you know you do...hoping, by some miracle, 
she did, today ,at least; a Mission hymn from way back...
from when they were kids.
 
Kneels beside her chair – shuts his eyes
like he’s saying a prayer...strokes her arm
then holds her hand. 
 
Takes some scissors from the drawer to trim her nails, 
but they catch the light, put the fear of god in her.  
It’s all alright, he says, and, indeed it was; 
 
at the tender age of eight, plus that all important
quarter, I found out, that morning,
how love was made.
Certificate PG
Poem
Silver Spun Sand Poems
Love
Autobiography

Comments

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

how lovely this is!

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thank you, so much, insertsmiley  More than appreciated.

Tina

 

Submitted by love_writing on

You've beautifully conveyed a tragic yet sweet and heartwarming scene. Most touching :)

love_writing

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

lw - obliged to yousmiley

Tina;-)

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Tender and heart-warming. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Rhiannon, thank you so very much for popping by.  Pleased you found it so.

Tina

 

Submitted by Pat G on

Perfect and beautiful, conveying so much.

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Appreciated, Pat.  Many thanks.

Tina

 

Submitted by airyfairy on

Through a child's eyes, and with a child's instinctive understanding.  Beautiful.

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Good morning, af.  Thanks for your words.  They are beautiful, too.

Tina

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

This is such a tender read Tina, it brought a tear to my eyes.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thanks, Jenny, and I hope those eyes of yours are quite dry nowsmiley

Have a peaceful evening.

Tina