Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Here To Love


from looktothesky.com

"Even love unreturned has its rainbow" by J.M. Barrie (Peter Pan)

She was in a deep, end-stage coma,
lying motionless
in her extended care bed.
On the wall were photos
of her life
Before:
her wedding picture,
hopeful eyes,
self-conscious smiles,
children, grand-children,
little girls with happy eyes
looking out of the frames
from that long-gone life.

Now she was here,
in this bed, alone,
and I was sitting with her,
a hospice worker,
accompanying
her dying.

I wanted to give her
something,
not just be there,
so I opened
the pages of my book
and read her
some excerpts
from a poem about life,
and love,
and the world,
and death,
a poem about
Everything.

I felt the energy
in the room change,
and knew somehow
that my words
had traveled
into her heart.
My gift had been
received.

When I walked out,
that early summer evening,
there was a rich golden
light on everything,
at that gilded time,
the moments before sunset,
when all is radiance
and, looking up,
I saw, not one,
but TWO rainbows,
arching across
the illumined sky
like prayers,
like an answer
to the question:
why am I here?
And the answer was:
to Love.

posted for Ella's prompt at Poets United's Wonder Wednesday
tell about a gift you gave that made you feel good.

15 comments:

  1. Chloe said something to me about her teacher saying: "it was a beautiful death" She asked me how watching anyone dying could possibly be beautiful. I told her... if it is a happy release because the person dying was suffering so much, then, we are pleased to see them go and glad to see their last breath.
    A lovely read Sherry. Yes, the answer is always, to love.

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  2. What Bren said. Is the picture the one you saw? The poem is a marvelous story, engaging narrative from start to LOVE!

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  3. The sincerity of your poem emits the beauty of your heart.. and it's amazing how you acknowledged the signs of nature.. 'Love'..

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  4. Sherry, your poem gave me goosebumps on goosebumps! What an absolutely gorgeous poem and scene. A true gift. Thank you

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  5. What a blessing it must be when you are dying to have someone who cares about you sit as you did. You gave a beautiful gift, Sherry!

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  6. What a wonderful gift you have to share with others!

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  7. Your poem made me cry. The art of attending the dying is a rare gift - in my profession too sadly a lost art.

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  8. You ARE love dear Sherry. Thanks for sharing the beauty of you.

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  9. This almost made me cry. This was beautiful just like all your other work.

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  10. You are a rainbow maker for many. Bless you .

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  11. Gorgeous, so touching the way you shared it~ I got goosebumps, too!

    I did a rainbow, too...
    I prefer yours though @>--------
    Beautiful!

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  12. There is such thing as "a good death." It's when caring people are at the side of the one who is dying, giving them reminders of what has been good, sending them on to better things just the other side of "the membrane," that thin place between here and there. Lovely, Sherry. Amy

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  13. I bookmarked this poem by the way, it's one of my favorites. I wish that someday on Poets United we can Have a day to share our favorite poems by other poetry bloggers we have seen.

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