She sat beside me
and watched me struggle
as I attempted to build
an empire from broken glass and tears
with retaining walls and a moat in defiance
of the tide.
it will never be strong enough she told me
but there is nothing more you can do
it will soon be gone and I knew that
she was right.
I wiped the sands
of make-believe from my eyes and cheeks
and we sat together and watched the ocean
swallow the kingdom, leaving only wet
clumps of a childhood dream, an illusion
at our feet.
follow me she said, and I walked with her to the edge
of the water. We stood ankle deep in silt
and broken shells. We stood in the only silence
that can be known on the edge of the water,
the kind of silence where you know
you are not alone
and never can be. We stood together,
worlds apart for what only seemed to be
an eternity.
Gentle swells brought children dancing in the surf
singing and playing the games that children play,
unknowingly conjuring spirits and speaking truths
they have yet to learn
ring around
the rosie
a pocket
full
She smiled at me and took my hands in hers
and we splashed and stumbled in circles
once, twice, three times
ashes
ashes
We all fall
And I knew it was time to let her go.
I turned away, holding in my hands the remnants
of her that had woven into my fingertips
and walked back up the sand
to my daughter, who was waiting for me
with the ocean in her bucket, waiting to build
sand castles.
July 19, 2009 at 3:12 am
Sometimes the things you say in your poetry make my eyes sting with tears, and I often don’t know why. But I think I might be getting addicted to poetry, and it’s partially your fault.
July 19, 2009 at 12:51 pm
🙂 I’ve been accused of far worse, Darc–so I’ll consider that a good thing. Thank you 😉
July 19, 2009 at 8:13 am
I love your poetry and the way that you use and place your words. This is stunning and sad and beautiful all at once.
July 19, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Hi Sarah,
I’m happy to see you again! Thank you so much, that is so kind of you to say. I was thinking of revising the breaks on this already..but maybe I’ll sit on it for a little while. I’m glad it touched you:)
July 19, 2009 at 1:25 pm
This is so beautiful and haunting..sort of Poe-esque…
July 21, 2009 at 10:53 am
Thanks CD. It sort of was a haunting, in a sense–but a good one:)
July 19, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Lovely….the end ripped me back in a jarring, wonderful way!
Thank You!
July 21, 2009 at 10:56 am
Thank you Forrester, and thanks for stopping by again. I am really enjoying your gifts as well–very calming 🙂
July 19, 2009 at 4:11 pm
Breathless and beautiful. Thanks for sharing. Storygal
July 21, 2009 at 10:58 am
Hi Carolyn, and welcome! Thank you for stopping by and leaving a footprint:) I’m so glad you liked it. 🙂
July 19, 2009 at 11:11 pm
This touches me in a way that I can’t find the words for. Beautiful!
July 21, 2009 at 10:59 am
Thank you, Bill 🙂
July 20, 2009 at 4:14 pm
DarcKnyt said it for me, too. Beautiful poem.
July 21, 2009 at 10:59 am
Thanks Linda:) I’ll be stopping by your place later!
July 21, 2009 at 10:11 am
Hm. I have the feeling that I left a comment that was deleted once again. But, I think this is amazing and I didn’t want it to end! Bittersweet and beautiful… Also, the updated formatting of “ring around the rosie” somehow made it even better, can’t explain why. 🙂
July 21, 2009 at 11:02 am
Hi Joseph! Hmmm…I don’t know what is happening there–I promise I don’t delete your comments as they mean the world to me! Thanks for noticing the updates. I didn’t want to post as new because it was such a recent post and the changes were small. That said, I think the formatting works a bit better now, too. I wrestled a bit with the lines last night and ended up with this. Glad you liked it. 🙂
July 21, 2009 at 10:24 am
The feeling in this poem is just so beautiful……I don’t really know what to say other than thank you.
July 21, 2009 at 11:02 am
Thank you, Bonnie, for stopping by. So glad you enjoyed this!
July 21, 2009 at 11:34 am
I also find this beautiful and haunting in a calming way. This nursery rhyme always seems to put me in a somewhat dark place due to the original references to death and disease. It was fitting and I was pleased that you left out posies – it left the possibility of a less traumatic death.
July 21, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Thanks J. I was missing my grandmother. She was the glue that seemed to hold the family together..a true matriarch. But life goes on, doesn’t it…it’s up to us to keep building…
July 21, 2009 at 2:06 pm
My grandma made me clean out my closets first, lol. I know what you mean about missing a matriarch. What a beautiful tribute Danielle.
July 21, 2009 at 2:53 pm
I thought of your grandmother as I wrote this Jaymie–about those empy hangers–thank you:)
July 21, 2009 at 7:02 pm
Stunning! Absolutely stunning. What a soul you have that let’s in and shares so much love. Thank you beautiful lady.
July 27, 2009 at 9:18 am
Such a kind thing to say, Sarah. Thank you:)
July 23, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Just read it again, and love it even more. My favorite so far. Nan would be so proud – so beautiful. This needs to be somewhere else, not just here, but somewhere else…I don’t know where yet, but it needs another home…
July 27, 2009 at 9:24 am
I’m smiling just thinking of her smiling….thanks for saying this, Della 🙂
July 24, 2009 at 4:10 pm
There is a strong, old energy in this piece. Bringing nostalgia, longing and happiness … you have a way with the pen. Beautiful
July 27, 2009 at 9:25 am
Happy to see you, enreal. Nostalgia, longing and happiness describe my state of mind when I think of my grandmother. Sometimes sadness too, of course, but I try to remember the lessons and smiles instead of the grief. Thanks for the wonderful compliment.
July 24, 2009 at 9:53 pm
Very haunting. That’s a compliment.
July 27, 2009 at 9:26 am
Thank you, Tricia. I graciously accept your compliment 😉
July 25, 2009 at 3:00 pm
This is awesome.. the buildup was exceptional, and the way it ended was just so poignant!..
” turned away, holding in my hands the remnants…of her that had woven into my fingertips” I love this line.. and the way you go back to your daughter, firmly pushing the remnants of childhood into the ever deepening depths of nostalgic memories..
July 27, 2009 at 9:27 am
Ooh.. the DL is back! Thank you so much. I am so glad you caught the meaning in that line. She will always be a part of me, and my children.
July 25, 2009 at 8:37 pm
I wiped the sands
of make-believe from my eyes and cheeks
I really like this line. one of those that sticks with you.
July 27, 2009 at 9:28 am
Hi Jennifer! I love that you think that line sticks…sort of like the way sand sticks 😉 Thanks so much for dropping by again. I will be visiting you as soon as I can 🙂
July 26, 2009 at 12:49 am
I think beautiful and haunting were both great descriptions for this piece. And then knowing it was your grandmother who has gone while your daughter is waiting to build sand castles on the beach only adds to the beauty.
July 27, 2009 at 9:29 am
Hi Claire! Nice to meet you 🙂 Thank you for stopping in, and for the generous comments. I’ll be making my party rounds this evening…a little late, as usual 😉
October 5, 2009 at 11:23 pm
Just read this again tonight…missing Nan. I do believe she is on the edge, watching and waiting.