Death's Caress

A caress from beyond the grave.

 

Death's Caress

 

papa

how I long to

walk

in the moonlight 

under your

magic garden's

magnolia trees

 

like we used to

every spring

with your golden

retriever

 

I'd hold buttercup's

leash so you could

cut off several flowers

with your old buck knife

 

thoughts of santa

would twirl through my

imagination

everytime I saw those

bolts of bunched silk

gathered like 

christmas bows

in the fringes of your

untucked tshirt

 

these are for

your grandmother mimi

kiddo

 

later

when placed

in crystal

bowls of

tepid water

a sweet ginger

fragrance

would drift

from the

angel white

blossoms

 

the light and

refreshing scent

of fresh cut

flowers seemed to

make mimi's floral

window sheers

billow and dance

with glee every spring

 

walking through

the cemetery

tonight

I see you trying

to mask the

diamond tears

dripping down

your face

 

why are you

mulling over

all of these stories

of your former peers

that rest with

the dead

before you

 

how I followed

your steps with

my padded

toddler's feet

long ago

falling into

your arms

trying to

walk

papa

 

grasping to

take hold 

of the bright

prism beams

that always

surrounded

your proud

tall form

 

everyone

gathered

around you

to soak up

and enjoy your

bold energy source

 

where did the glow

of your northern star

go to grandpa

 

why did you

grow so wrinkled

and old overnight

 

was it all of the

lies you told

your wife

years ago

 

didn't you know

that resting your

golden crown of

curls on the pillow

of another man's

sacred treasure

would sow

pain for us all

papa 

 

who can measure

the degree of

such betrayal

 

you chose the

wife of your

brother

to lay under

grandfather

 

not even your

own mother

could forgive you

if she knew  

 

why does your chin

quiver so as

we stand here

 

are you afraid

you'll face them

all too soon

when you

die

 

 mimi

says

...your tomb

was lined with

velvet sheets

of doom

long ago

papa

 

the moment your

head touched

her pillow

she knew

 

don't you hear

the echoes of

of the wind

and rain

as we stand

by her grave

 

death's caressing

your tear-stained 

face papa

 

don't be afraid

for it's

mimi's gentle hand

 

mimi loves

you anyway 

just the way

you are today

papa

 

it's okay

to die

now

 

 

 

 

 

Author's Note

This is a special poem to me.

Reviews

[G. Anderson]

I could sense this pouring out of your soul like warm milk from a cauldron...

Such an amazing piece, every single emotion all wrapped into one page. Guilt, pain, disappointment, love, sentiment, reminiscence... This takes my breath away.

I could not find anything that needs improvement. The flow was steady, and I can tell you didn't hold back... the description and vivid elaboration on the feelings of your sacred heart- it shocks me.

I cannot pick a certain stanza to be my favorite, nor a certain section. This is just astronomical- the only poem on this site that I do believe is memorable.

Gage Anderson

[Angie Diane♥&hea..]

This is sad...I feel the emotion pouring out from you...it made want to cry...this was really beautiful....and it was a good read...thanks for sharing.

[FlawedByDesign]

An emotion and heartfelt piece. The way the focus changed 1/3 into the poem makes the poem take on a story quality rather than a poem. It comes across as a confessional told through the eyes of mimi, because papa is too overcome with regret for having done what he's done.

Nicely done.

[Dinesh Sairam]

Mimi and papa.. Seems like a fairy tale. And the words you've used exactly resonate the ancient, beautiful fairy tales that have been written. Though a very few verses seem stereo-typical and over-rated for 'mimi', it's still one of the best feel-good poems I've ever read :) This one's going into my favorites :) Keep writing.

[dangerbooze]

Oh, Marie. This is truly tender. You even got me to sniffle a bit.

[KL]

A special poem to me, too. Haven't read anything this emotional in a while, where no matter how you read it you know for certain that this probably just came out in a single, inspired spurt. I love how each stanza is a wonderfully flowing sentence, each one taking you further and further into the poem with a bittersweet cadence as the true meaning slowly reveals itself. You couldn't have opened it up perfectly, 'magic garden's magnolia trees.' Doesn't that sum up childhood in general? Everything is magical to a child's eye, even things later in life that turn out not be, when reality replaces what magic there is.

[Wicahpi]

Written with deep revere for someone
you loved very much. I could almost smell
those angel white blooms, too.

Lovely.

[Mauricio Montoya]

This is very heartfelt poem, beautify written. Thank you for sharing this part of your life.

[SasukiMimochi]

This is a nicely written poem. i can see how its special. I have actually been searching for more cryptic poems and i can't seem to find one.

[Miss Coral]

This was beautiful- I would consider changing the line structure, but I wouldn't touch anything else. Wonderfully penned.
Thank you for sharing.

-Coral-