Poetry Corner

[abelisle]

I wrote this poem for my father who is presently in a nursing home, half paralyzed from a stroke. And I was thinking this morning as I was running in the snow that there should be a corner in this forum for purely aesthetic pleasure and creativity?

Running with my Father

My father lies semi-conscious in his hospital bed

But we ran together this morning in the early morning mist

This time I held his hand in mine as he did when I was a child

"Run faster, Dad. I can beat you!" and he let me - what did I know?

Along the river's edge I thought of all those stories he told me

His Bible in his hand, those archetypal stories reaching deep into my little heart

Were they real? how come the Bible sounded different when he read it to me?

Teaching me to pray, I knew I had more than one Father

A comfort in the time of trouble

Across the grassy green parkland I looked at him and saw his smile

The laugh I'll never forget, the smile that encompassed his whole body

His joy for life - we ran together him and I - his footsteps were large

No getting lost with him. We raced together once, that 5K in the woods

He was my age then and never winced as the hills kept coming and coming

"You did great Pops! How do you feel?" His smile was the answer.

I ran a little faster as I neared the end of my run with him

I wanted to gather all my memories as my heartbeat stirred ever faster

What little time I had left was going to be my memories of him

We finished together in the mist this morning. I had more than mist in my eyes.

I stopped my watch, walked in the doorl and cried. He cried too but we did it together

My father and I.

Alex (I hope it's okay sharing this with all of you?)

[Dottie]

Your poem made me cry for my father, who live to be 94. I miss him.

[Bravus]

I'm not sure whether we had a poetry thread here before, but a couple of other forums I'm on have had them. It's a great idea.

Your tribute to your Dad was definitely very moving.

[cricket]

Nice tribute!

Though I can no longer post there, Bravus is right:

Club Adventist Poets' Corner

[phkrause]

Excellent Alex.

pk