#Poetry Friday: My Father’s Gift & Inktober day 12

For Poetry Friday I’m sharing a poem I wrote for my father, in memory of him, whom we lost just shortly after his birthday last year. His birthday would be today, October 13th. He loved the fall, but most of all he loved his family above all else, and he could never do enough in gesture, for all of us. Serendipitously I wrote a poem with leaves, and sketched out some leaves for Inktober, that I collected on my walk. My dad could probably identify all the leaves, he loved trees and knew them all by name.

 

MY FATHER’S GIFT

Leaves of time
dance in my
memory,
memories of you
etched forever,
fixed
finely in fall,
your birthday,
passing –

Golden
faded
leaves
carpet history
and yours–
Let me remember
one from the
cobweb
time’s eclipsed–

Giving
always giving
your gift to me–
Let me–
Mow your lawn,
your gesture larger
than any action–
Let me–
Rake your leaves–

Leaves
of golden
memories
lifetime
lost in
moments,
yours
cherished
forever.

© 2017 Michelle Kogan    

Sharing some poetry in music–my dad and I were both big fans of Steve Goodman and we used to play this song together.

 

Irene Latham is hosting the Poetry Friday Roundup this week at her blog Live Your Poem, thanks Irene! She’s offering up some fun books, thoughts, poems, and more connected with the number 13 for, Friday October 13th, have fun!