40 Feet Tall

ALL people make SOME difference ....Some people make ALLthe difference..

The woman I love is forty feet tall

Forever…….

Her hugs

 Feel like

My favorite nook

In the apple tree

Where I climb sometimes

When I feel small.

And she smells like ….

 pot roast

Emmeraude

Jean Nate’

and

Love.

 

She let me wear her long white gloves

On Saturdays

While we played

Big Band music

On the console

And danced barefoot

 to Nat King Cole

on that funky

 green

rug………

Shag –carpet ballerina

 

She taught me

How….. not to lead

And  helped Me

Move………

Like

a

Future ballroom Diva

 

The Lady…. taught me to be elegant

A postured Queen….

Inside my fumbling adolescent self.

 

We played marathon card games

During thunderstorms

By candlelight

ate raisins with chopsticks

And…

We’d giggle some

And

I loved her.

 

The woman gave me wisdom

That I needed….

To grow

To pray..

To believe…

To make ..

A difference…

A footprint….

Wherever I go.

 

When others had disowned me

The times that I would fall.

I never had a worry

Cuz the woman

That had my back 

Was forty feet

 

T

A

L

L.

 

 

 

© 2007 Jennifer Hampton

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reviews

[Bubo]

When others had disowned me
And the times that I would fall.
I never had a worry
Cuz the woman
That had .....my back
was
Forty
feet
tall.

I wish Ihad a Grandma like that!You have written such a joyous beautiful piece for her.......and she must seem 40ft tall bring such a mentor, and tower of strenght..........loved the flow.

[zainul]

I heard of 40 ft long graves of ancestral people.
In this piece,the personality of a beloved person might have posed the grandma as the 40 feet long.
But,the reviewers would be happy if the poet would clarify her position .

[J. Hampton]

I wrote this for a writing challenge/contest .the prompt was a 40 foot tall woman
And my Grandmother was larger Han life in her joy.. Unconditional Loving and non judgmental
nature... As well as the fact she was a hair under 6ft tall without heels .. My hero and best buddy

[zainul]

Thanks for the explanation.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i only really knew one of my grandmothers and one of my grandfathers...this is beautiful but makes me feel wistful...my dad's mom lived in Jersey...was a sweet lady..i knew her for a few years before we moved from NY..then she died...i have fond memories...my mom's father was a rotten s.o.b.....she didn't even attend his funeral when he died...not a nice man...wish i had gotten to meet the other two...but they died long before i was born.

never really got to feel something like this...

but you capture and give us the feeling so well...

jacob

[GRIMM]

Touching, fun and creative piece.

[Hedra Helix]

oh man thats gorgeous. that end slammed my heart good with pride and love.

[AK]

What a beautiful tribute to her. I wish we all had someone like this to hold close inside and remember.

[Kara Emily Krantz]

oh, and it might be uncouth of me to offer such a suggestion, but my only misgiving with this poem... is the title.

it's so... boxy, and ... has harsh lines. if that makes sense.

and the poem itself is a beautiful psalm. i just feel like it deserves to be wrapped in something sweeter...

just my thoughts...
hugs

[Kara Emily Krantz]

jesus this is gorgeous. i'm in love with this woman just from your words. she was obviously fascinating and alive and authentic.

"While we played

Big Band music

On the console

And danced barefoot

to Nat King Cole

on that funky

green

rug���"

best part of a poem that i've read in forever.

favorites.
totally FAVORITES

hugs

[The Archangel Gabriel]

A great tribute. 40 feet tall? How much food did she eat at Christmas dinner? She must have eaten you out of house and home.

Great write!

-Gabe

[Emily B]

My review is still there! As I read, I remembered reading it the first time. The first work of yours that I remember. Such a special tribute to your grandmother. I imagine she would be pleased at the lady you have become.

[Andromeda]

love this!