SORROW, Silver Options

[Psyche]

SORROW

When you were yet a child, so dear to me,
tummy flat upon the rug, finger on a book
to read the lines, your lips a babbling brook,
my heart went out to you, my busy bumble-bee.

I loved those hours, so full of joyous play,
loved your curly hair, the sturdy limbs
so quick your favorite oak to climb;
better times there never were, nor gladder days,

that now I sit beside your arms upon the quilt,
so motionless, their lifeline out of symmetry,
and cannot grasp the ingrate chronology,
must hide my face awhile, with tears of guilt.

Yet still I marvel at the gallant spirit in you,
understand the battle in those dimming eyes
and guess the nameless sorrow, the solitude,
Youth's body wasted frail his soul to Heaven rise.

By Psyche

Dedicated to my son Patrick who died of Lou Gehrig's Disease (Motor Neurone Disease) in his twenties, six years ago, August 24th., 1998.
"Always present in my heart, always loved."

Copyright 2004, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

[Cleo_Serapis]

Thank you for entry into "Odin's Opposition"!

Best of luck in the battle!

~Mosaic Musings Staff

[Cleo_Serapis]

Congratulations on your Silver placement!

You have risen up, drank from the Well of Wisdom and have been crowned the ‘bringer of silver’!

Well done!
:pharoah2

[Psyche]

Thank you, Cleo ! And thank you to all the judges, for having given me this award. Even though it's about real, personal sorrow, that no award can take away, nonetheless it's given me a very good feeling to know that it's appreciated as a poem in itself and will carry this beautiful little plaque over it forever...  :cloud9:

Thank you all !
Love,
Sylvia  :sun:

[AMETHYST]

Congratulations Sylvia,


This is beautiful! The subject thrashes at the readers emotions like waves on the shore. What you've done here, is focused on the gifts given to the narrator and the sorrows the child's strength had helped others to comfort and over come. The smallest details of what is often right in front of our eyes is often overlooked during such grievious times. Yet, this poem shows the reader the ability to make those wonders the main focus and that is what brings this poem a knife to the heart.

Wonderful use of poetics and ability to bring real life, to the reader.

Hugs, Liz

[Cybele]

Hi Sylvia,

Many congratulations on your second placement.

You know how very much I can relate to your wonderful tribute to Patrick, ~ how much all your heartache is reflected in me.

It is such a wonderful tribute. I know Patrick would be extremely proud of his mum.

[Psyche]

G'mornin' Liz,  :sun:

Thank you for commenting on my poem to Patrick. It appears that my lines carry powerful feelings of reality. I expect it's so. That's the way I lived that reality, during the years of my son's five-year illness.

But even those years of illness were full of moments and whole days of happiness, laughter and, above all, learning... I've since read that Lou Gehrig, the famous baseball player, was also a wondeful example to others during this progressive, disabling and eventually fatal disease. I believe there's a  new book about Lou Gehrig's life, which someday I shall try to get my hands on.

Thank you, Liz, and congrats again to you !
Love,

Sylvia  :cloud9:

[Psyche]

Dear Grace,  

Thank you for your understanding as well as congratulatory words. Yes, I'm aware of your deep feelings of empathy that help you relate to my poem.

And I'm also sure that Patrick, somehow, somewhere, is pleased about this small tribute.

He was a budding poet and story writer himself. He had a degree in Philology from the University of Salamanca, Spain; so he was a lover of literature, having chosen British & American Lit. as his main field for study, apart from the mandatory Spanish Lit. While studying, he taught English at a private institute in Salamanca and was much loved by his students of all ages.

Big hugs to you, Grace,
Sylvia  

[Morgan le Fay]

Hi Sylvia,

Congratulations on your Silver Award!  :dance:

Gosh, I was beginning to think that the Odin's competition would never get judged.  LOL!  :laugh:

"Sorrow" really reached right in and tugged at my heart.  Everyone who has ever lost a dear loved one, especially a child, couldn't help but relate to your fabulous and skillfully woven words.  I cried when I read this and also felt extreem gratitude that you shared this personal sorrow with us in such a beautiful tribute to your son.  You were able to show us the best in the human spirit, that even in great personal suffering, your son's and your own, that the greatest 'gift of the Spirit', 'is love'.

Thank you Sylvia.  This beautiful poem was truely a gift of love.

Love,
Chris :)