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Friday, February 22, 2019

This Poem is a Big Red Heart

Phoenix

Small boy / big heart


This poem is a six year old boy
whose dad and dog both died.
This poem is a crayon.
This poem is a big red heart.

This poem is a sweet and valiant little boy,
who has known tears, but who loves to smile.
This poem gets knocked down, and
bounces back up again.
Like the boomerang, it keeps coming back,
because it has known death, so it cherishes life.
This poem is a six year old boy
whose dad and dog both died.

This poem is a crayon held in a grubby fist
by an intent little boy
who wants a picture of his pain.
This poem can draw a stick figure dad
with a big smile, and open arms,
and a devoted droopy-eyed dog,
with floppy ears and an old soul.
This poem is a crayon.

This poem is a gigantic wobbly red heart
with a dog inside, along with the words
"Papa and Phoenix are fishin' in hevven".
This poem squeezes the heart
of his mother, who lost her mate,
then, one year later, held the furry body
of his old fishing pal as he went to sleep
for the last time.
This poem has lost too many loves,
but keeps on smiling, loving and moving forward,
because of a small boy made almost entirely
of hope and trust and sweetness and love.
This poem is a big red heart.


I am having a resurgence of interest in the boomerang metaphor poem, a form created by Hannah Gosselin and introduced at Real Toads in 2014 .  Some of you have seen this poem before, but I felt like revisiting it, before I move on to other forms, other poems. Smiles.

Sharing this with the Poetry Pantry at Poets United where, this Sunday, we are announcing a wonderful new feature and staff member. Do come and share in our excitement!

25 comments:

  1. Oh Sherry, reduce me to tears why doncha? And probably every other reader who sees this poem, too. But the tears are partly because of his sweetness, and his valour at such a young age, and all the love in this story. Thank you.

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  2. I think I've got something in me eye. :-)

    What a beauty of a poem. Thanks.

    Greetings from London.

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  3. I really like this form too, Sherry, and what you did with it. It is a heartbreaker though -- with "Papa and Phoenix" fishing in prison! The poem has a big red heart indeed.

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  4. Fishing in heaven, i think you meant, Mary. Yes, life can be a heartbreaker. Mom and small boy are doing well though, and they have a big furry new dog in their lives now.....life goes on.

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  5. This one hurts and infuses with hope all at once. To learn of a hart that has lost so much and still remains bright is soul-feeding, a lesson and a gift.

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  6. Fabulous.. heartbreaking.. my 5 year old nephew just lost his dog and I can see he doesn't understand how to deal with it. Can't imagine the courage of this little boy.

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  7. Sherry, this is such a sweet, sad boomerang poem that ‘gets knocked down, and bounces back up again’. The description of the crayon picture of his pain is really effective – drawing pictures helps children to express their emotions. This poem squeezed my heart too.

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  8. Indeed, this poem is a big red heart ❤️ such a poignant write, Sherry!

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  9. This poem makes me think of things long thought forgotten. Of how hope and love don't have to diminish when they recognize pain, but are made even stronger when they make space to acknowledge it. This is beyond beautiful.

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  10. The aftermath of this poem is tears...

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  11. this poem resonates and beats like the heart it contains

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  12. I do love the form too.. and might write one later... this is lovely, and how good it is that the boy can find his way to go on.

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  13. There are tearful moments in this poem, many of them, but it ends on a high note of joy.

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  14. Tugs at the heart this one. Enjoying your Boomerangs a form i too luv
    Happy Sunday. Thanks for dropping by my blog

    Much🌻love

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  15. Make me cry Sherry. Make me cry. Such a beautiful poem with so much loss, heartache and yes , love and hope. Such a beautiful poem that one reads through it without noticing the form. I am glad they have another dog in their lives. Fishing in heaven...oh man.

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  16. "This poem can draw a stick figure dad
    with a big smile, and open arms,
    and a devoted droopy-eyed dog, "

    ... this just squeezes my heart!

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  17. Beautiful! This form is wonderful! The repetition really works. For me, it functions almost like an incantation, in this poem - like a spell or charm is being summoned. For truly: the triumph of the heart over such profound loss, is beyond pragmatic thought. Almost, as if a magical or mystical light has been kindled.

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  18. Sherry, the form really works to bring the message across but, gee now I am teary eyed.

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  19. There is so much love and sadness in this world that it is only right that we write about it too. Your piece is so touching and hopefully it will touch many others who feel such pain.

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  20. this poem is so moving, Sherry!
    oh, gosh!

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  21. because of a small boy
    made almost entirely
    of hope and trust and
    sweetness and love

    So moving Sherry,when one so young is befallen of personal tragedy too much to handle. It's a measure of imposed maturity at a young age!

    Hank

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  22. brings water to the lamps yet a smile to the dial.

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  23. Of course I remember Hannah's form Sherry. This poem speaks right to me, so big on love despite the deaths of loved ones.

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