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.

[Kelley Pascoe]

Well I think you would of won!! This was great and I love the lines....................
"We played marathon card games
During thunderstorms
By candlelight
ate raisins with chopsticks
And�
We�d giggle some
And
I loved her. "
Broght back some really good memories of my grandma. Thanks for sharing.
Kelley Frost.

P.S. Now I know your name is Jennifer I can quit calling you J.Hampton. That sounded strange
to me...............smile

[Helen Woodward]

Who cares how tall she is! I like her, she sounds wonderful throughout your poem. Anyone who has the ability to make you feel good about yourself and "safe" is OK by me. Pity you couldn't get it into the comp...you would have won!
Thanks for a beautiful tribute to someone special who has, no doubt, had great influence.

[Phibby Venable]

Pretty sure you would have won if you could have entered it!
This is really excellent and a great tribute of love. Wonderful ending.
best to you,
Phibby

[[untitled]]

This has soul and that�s why I like it. The feeling of her hugs in comparison to your �favorite nook / in the apple tree� sums the warmth of your grandmother�s embrace, both physically and emotionally, at the start in this poem. The hints of humor in the line, �she smells like pot roast� and the words you used to describe the lessons she taught you to leave a �footprint� wherever you go were very well placed. I enjoyed this and although my grandmother isn�t 6 ft. tall; my mom is so I�m feeling you on this poem. Thanks for sharing. Take care.

[Brooklyn Darkchild]

This is great J. Fantastic. The imagery; the similes and metaphors; the warmth and the loving tone. Anyone reading this will know right away your grandma was something special.
"Her hugs....
Feel like
My favorite nook
In the apple tree"
The security and comfort depicted in these lines alone speak for the entire poem. Can't say I love this enough.
Be Blessd!
DC

[Li Li]

The woman gave me wisdom
That I needed
To grow...
To pray..
To believe
To make
A difference
A footprint
Wherever I go.

This is something that I can relate to. A person that gives you the light without it having to shine because they know you know the direction you are going in. They encourage it and embrace you throughout all your choices through life. Being one that was once "disowned" I feel that this poem is something that we have in common. All except I lost my grandmother before I really got the "time" to show her how much motivation and strength she gave me in life.

This piece had a great flow and rhythm to it. You always have that "jazz" feel to your work.

Props ma.

Li

[W.k.kortas]

"pot roast/Emmeraude/Jean Nate'" is some of the most spot-on imagery I've read in some time. Wonderful narrative in this piece.