Will You Write A Poem For Me Poem by Grant House

Will you write a poem for me?
My father asks after a quiet moment of reflection
After listening to a tribute I wrote for Mother on her passing so very long ago
Looking out from the covers of his end-of-life resting bed
His eyes closed looking inward as much as out
His gentle spirit remembering his beautiful wife
Our mother
Being healthy
Noticing her robin in the back yard
First day of spring
Fresh, new, like an old friend
Remembering a day at the beach
Young hearts bonding
Like coming home
A reunion of soul recognizing itself in another
Seeing her happily singing the higher registers and low
Reaching the star notes
Laughing

He cried

Try as I might, he said,
I can't remember her like that
Why can't I remember her like that?

But here he was
My dad remembering the good times
Before the fall.
Before the forgetting.

Before the long struggle
The loss and loneliness
There was a time
A full-of-wonder long time
Of joy and companionship
Of accomplishment
Of raising those two, okay I'll say it,
Those two extraordinary boys
Of finding a rhythm in the days
Sharing those days as they passed one by one
Together

The man he became
Now preparing to leave
To take that long walk alone into forever
That man remembers his good life
His two loves
Evalyn and Louise
True love
From life to death and then again
Life to death and way beyond
Never ending love
Love, the golden thread
Transformational love
Love bringing him into his manhood
Becoming the responsible husband and father
A remarkable unfolding career
Pen protector in his white shirt pocket career
Bringing candy bars home in his briefcase to his boys
Of hugs and kisses on the lips fatherhood
A life of service
Of inquiry into the deepest questions of faith
Of what it means to be a community
Divinity flowing up through and out into the world
A life of conscience, self doubt, and commitment
Of partnership
Of gratitude

He lost mother gradually
He fought it
He surrendered to it
It broke his heart
But never his dedication to his bride
When Mother died
Dad went with her in a way
And then
Love somehow transformed his grief
Into an openness to joy
To renewal
A new beginning
To Louise
The person he was destined for
The mountains of love Louise
The hidden tattoo friend
The overwhelming sense of oneness
Of mutual respect
Of silliness and youth in later years
A fine commaraderie
This sweet mischief
They were good for one another
Generous and kind
Little dog and all
So very good to one another

Louise held up her end of the bargain
The words failed her but not her eyes
Frustration and love
Love overwhelming all
That trust
That íntimacy
And then
That long long nap
Hands holding tight
Into that endless night

When Louise died
Dad went with her a way
And then
Love somehow transformed his grief
Into an openness
To Spirit
To his self reliance
And then
To his own transition
A terminal decision
For quality of life if not longevity
A trust in the divine cosmos
The birthplace of all that ever was and ever will be
The wholeness that precedes us
Succeeds us
That is us
One with God
One with Love
A journey neverending
A long road
Where now is enough
Where the movement itself
Is home

We are just passing through
Eternity to eternity
Not separate but one
One, he knows
With all
With Evalyn
With Louise
With his boys
His sisters and brothers
His mom and dad
The memories and all that will be long after
Embodied in his amazing grandchildren, precious great grandchildren, and theirs, and theirs, and theirs

There is no beginning or end to God's love
Dad's love is endless too.
He brought it with him when he was conceived.
He gives it to us in his death.
One God. One Love.
Forever and ever.
My dad's spirit lives.

So, thank you for your life Dad
Questioning dogma
Challenging truths
Looking for the meanings inside each story, phrase and word
The scriptures, metaphor
Everyday life, our university
Our common ground, diversity.

Life's value, life's purpose, life's joy
Each in their own way
Whisper
In voices plain
Not often heard
This universal message
Your poem

When all is said and done
Your spirit
And ours
And God's
Are One