Thursday 4 October 2012

Happy National Poetry Day

Hello there, and Happy National Poetry Day!

As most of you know, I rarely delve into the realm of poetry, leaving that to the more able, but what with it being the Day for it, and with the theme being 'stars', I thought I would share this poem which seems to fit with the theme.

I wrote it a few years ago in a NAWE workshop, lead by Liz Cashdan, . She managed to help me produce something which I think is not half-bad, and it was the first time I'd been able to write about my father, who was ill at the time and passed away soon after.

So, this is for all you poets out there, hope you have a great day.

And this is for my dad.



An Echo

"Have you ever looked at the stars?"
He looks away, even as he speaks.
I ask him what he means
but he says nothing more,

simply walks away
adds gin to his glass,
but not tonic,
and leaves me watching him,
waiting for the next pearl to drop,
like waiting for the next train to pass,
the next beat to sound, or
the next breath to draw.

Instead we talk about my work
and his garden,
my life
and his seedlings,
my beliefs
and his tomatoes.
And yet I remember this:
"Have you ever looked at the stars?"

I remember as he falters.
Waiting for the next beat to sound.
Waiting for the next breath to draw.
Waiting for the end

I remember.
"Have you ever looked at the stars?"
and in the silence I turn away
to look at the night sky.

2 comments:

  1. Brilliant that, I really liked it. A nice tribute to your father too.

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  2. Love it. Happy NPD.
    @x

    ReplyDelete