My dear Grandma Lois, about the mid-1990's |
As I pondered recently about how I could best honor my grandmother’s memory and legacy of love, I kept a prayer in my heart for inspiration. Carrying on in love is not something that is hard for me to do, thanks to the leading examples of people like my grandmother. And the love-light she kindled here on earth will certainly live on through her posterity and every other life my grandmother touched. But for me, I prefer tributes that are a bit more unique, and slightly more tangible. And for years I have used writing as the tool with which I create lasting memorials to people, ideas, experiences, and feelings in my life.
I wanted to offer a tangible tribute to the memory of my sweet grandmother, but I wasn't sure how. |
Recently, late at night (which is usually when all my inspiration comes), I was thinking back to the day of my grandmother’s funeral. Before the services started, family members gathered in a private room to say their final goodbyes before the closing of my grandmother’s casket. The first to approach the casket was my step-grandfather, who had been married to my grandmother for over thirty years. Grandpa Lyle, as we call him, has a rough exterior, but a gentle heart. Never in my life have I seen him express any tender emotions. But as he approached my grandmother as she lay in state, he began to sob. Tearfully, he kissed her forehead, and said, “Goodbye, sweetheart. Goodbye.”
It wasn't until my family members said their final goodbyes at the funeral that the emotions hit me. |
After several days of legalities, making preparations, making phone calls, signing papers, receiving condolences, shaking hands, and thanking guests, it seems he didn’t have time to face the reality of what lay before him. He had forgotten himself, and forgotten her. But as he came face to face with his dear wife lying in her casket, he remembered. She was his sweetheart; and she was gone. There was no time to linger or carry on. It was time to say goodbye.
The words of a poem came to me one night by inspiration, an answer to my prayers. |
Lying in bed with these thoughts surrounding me, I repeated Grandpa’s words: “Goodbye, sweetheart. Goodbye.” And that’s when the inspiration came. I recognized it immediately, and for a moment thought I could ignore it long enough to actually get the sleep I had intended on getting that night. But as the ideas and words began flowing into my head, I knew that I couldn’t pass up the opportunity I had been praying for.
I rose from bed, turned on my lamp, and opened my writing notebook to a blank page. Using my grandfather’s tearful goodbye as a pattern, I penned ten verses in just over an hour. Though I tried to tap into the emotions I personally felt having to say a temporary goodbye to my grandmother, I also tried to tell a farewell story to which anyone who has ever had to let someone go could relate. I’m grateful once again for answered prayers.
❧
– Goodbye, Sweetheart, Goodbye –
~
The summer now has turned to fall,
“Goodbye, sweetheart, goodbye.”
I’ll do my best to stand up tall,
“I’ll try, sweetheart, I’ll try.”
It hurts me now to watch you go,
“It does, sweetheart, it does.”
Why you must leave I do not know,
“Because, sweetheart, because.”
My eyes are wet, my flesh is weak,
“Don’t grieve, sweetheart, don’t grieve.”
Just hold me close and kiss my cheek,
“Believe, sweetheart, believe.”
Now as we part, I breathe a sigh,
“You’re gone, sweetheart, you’re gone.”
Your memory will never die,
“Live on, sweetheart, live on.”
Your time with me, a cherished stay,
“You’re mine, sweetheart, you’re mine.”
Now days pass by in shades of gray,
“I’m fine, sweetheart, I’m fine.”
Sometimes I pause and feel you there,
“It’s true, sweetheart, it’s true.”
I bow my head and say a prayer,
“For you, sweetheart, for you.”
I hold the light you kindled here,
“For me, sweetheart, for me.”
With it, I know I’ll persevere,
“You’ll see, sweetheart, you’ll see.”
So dry your tears and don’t you weep,
“Be still, sweetheart, be still.”
Your love for me I’ll always keep,
“I will, sweetheart, I will.”
I look to when we’ll meet again,
“In time, sweetheart, in time.”
How joyous our reunion then,
“Sublime, sweetheart, sublime.”
Rest now in peace—the battle’s won,
“Don’t cry, sweetheart, don’t cry.”
Thank you, my love, for all you’ve done,
“Goodbye, sweetheart, goodbye.”
~
- Wade A. Walker -
February 5, 2012
My Grandma Lois loved orange roses. I made a tradition of giving her a dozen of them on her birthday every year during the last few years she was alive. We also chose orange roses to adorn her casket. |
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That was beautiful! I got teary and everything. Thanks for sharing that with us! :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Wade...very beautiful. You do have such a way with words. I was crying too. You have a great gift, keep it up.
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