Smiling at Death

Published on by J. Kelland Perry

I’m too tired from novel writing to come up with anything of my own this week, so I’m sharing a post from Journey Into Poetry. Christine is one of my favorite bloggers for the poems she writes.
Here is one I found especially moving. Love and miss you, Dad. x

journeyintopoetry

Your whole life was wrapped around you
on that day,
propped up on a pillowy white cloud,
a few extra ones, cool, crisp
arranged in a special way,
a privilege for the dying.

How could your tiny fragile frame
have carried so much,
braved storms at sea,
ministered prayers from pulpit.
The swimming lessons you gave me;
you had the patience of Job.
And the turnip faces you carved
for Halloween, they were perfect;
(you would have cringed at pumpkins.)
But then you could do everything in my eyes;
you knew everything too.
I remember you trying to
show me how to use a slide rule;
I still haven’t a clue.

And there,
on a warm day, early May
in a special bed for the dying,
lay all of that,
your whole life in a cradle of time,
and it weighed next to nothing –

except for your smile.
Your…

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15 thoughts on “Smiling at Death”

          1. How wonderful. If I had a cat, I would have her paint it as well. Unfortunately, a busy road nearby prevents me at this time. I believe she also did a painting for the cover of Christine’s new book. 🙂
            Give my love to Canada. I’ve got some lovely memories.

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              1. Not the first book but I believe a future one? I could be wrong as she also had one done by another blogger… Perhaps I spoke too soon. I know Kath did a lovely piece for her.
                Perhaps you will come to France? The Mediterranean is only minutes away from my home. 🙂

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