08 January 2013

Tobago, Last Day

Ten days alone with my grandchildren
for the first time. Their friends couldn't come,
they were disappointed, I wasn't.
On this last day together
we played in the pool, splashed
and invented games never known before.
They're ours now, silly, irreplaceable, part
of the stories we'll tell in the future.

I told them today that I can't do the dolphin kick
when I saw they can. Try this, Grandmother,
or this when they saw I till couldn't, or this. I'll show you,
I'll move your legs for you so you can feel it. Well,
you did one kick right, keep practicing, you'll get it.
It struck me that it's a gift to them to be bad at something
and they get to be the teachers. They admitted
they can't dive well and I could teach them.

We wrote poetry together and I learned
to let the poetry be about monsters when
I'd rather write about rain, and to listen better.
I wonder what their future will be, can't imagine it
really, it's theirs alone and indefinable.
I hold fear about it, about them in it,
about how to ready them, as if I could.
They're fine young people, they'll be fine adults.
That's their business, mine's to love them
and cheer them on. I do.


This is in response to Tashtoo over at dVerse Poets for Open Link Night who asks us to share our stories. This is mine this week.

24 comments:

  1. their future will find them i imagine so enjoy the moments you have with them...whether you can dolphin kick or not its your presence anyway that does the magic...and writing poetry together...that is just really cool....

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    1. Thanks, Brian- you're right, of course. It was so dear how they tried to teach me. I loved writing poetry with them.

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  2. You're right, it's a gift to let them be the teachers sometimes. Safe travels homeward.

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    1. It brings out such a nice side of them. I'll head back to Trinidad for another month and then Florida before home.

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  3. How special! Your grandchildren are beautiful... enjoy your time w/them.

    I really like the last stanza.

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  4. Yes, your job is to love them and cheer them on. I do see that you have done that. I also agree with you that it is not a bad thing if they can teach you something...as that builds esteem. There is much we can learn from our grandchildren as we are teaching them things like poetry...smiles. Beautiful children!!

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  5. So cute - lovely poem- beautiful kids. k.

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  6. i think you must have many blessings;)))

    xo
    erin

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  7. Lovely poem. Adorable grandchildren. Wonderful family.

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    1. I enjoyed having them alone- the dynamics shifted and we just had such a good time.

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  8. Beautiful grandchildren. How wonderful to let them be the teachers...

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  9. Beautiful memories. Beautiful inside and out.

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  10. Love them and cheer them on. And listen.

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  11. This:

    I wonder what their future will be, can't imagine it
    really, it's theirs alone and indefinable.
    I hold fear about it, about them in it,
    about how to ready them, as if I could.
    They're fine young people, they'll be fine adults.
    That's their business, mine's to love them
    and cheer them on. I do.

    So perfect.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks. Sometimes we do when there is really nothing else we can do. I appreciate you commenting.

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