THE GIFT OF WORDS

by MOTHERBEAR - Scorpio

AS I CRADLE MY GRANDCHILD AGAINST MY BOSOM
I OFTEN THINK OF THE GRANDMOTHER 
THAT I HAVE LOST.
THAT I MISS.

AS A CHILD SHE SPOKE AND SANG TO ME IN 
A LANGUAGE I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.
WORDS THAT ONLY HAD MEANING TO ONES 
THAT HAVE GONE BEFORE US.

THESE WORDS HAD BEEN SPOKEN BY HER MOTHER
AND HER MOTHER BEFORE HER.
THEY HAD BEEN SPOKEN AND SANG FOR GENERATIONS
ONLY TO FALL UPON CLOSED EARS.

I SIT AS A SILENT TEAR SLIDES DOWN MY CHEEK
AND WETS MY SHIRT.
I REGRET THE CLOSED EARS.
I REGRET THE FOOLISHNESS OF YOUTH.

NOW, AS I HOLD MY OWN GRANDCHILD 
I LONG FOR THOSE WORDS AND SONGS.
BUT THEY ARE FORGOTTEN, 
DEAD IN THE GRAVE.

SO I BEGIN A NEW.
I SHARE WITH MY GRANDCHILD THE 
WORDS AND SONGS I DO KNOW.
WORDS AND SONGS OF ENCOURAGEMENT.

I PRAY SHE LISTENS AND REMEMBERS.
I HOPE SHE IN TURN SHARES THEM.
FOR THERE IS NOTHING MORE SPECIAL 
THAN THE GIFT OF WORDS.

Reason for writing:

    AS I GET OLDER I REALIZE WHAT HAS BEEN LOST. I CANNOT GO BACK IN TIME, BUT POSSIBLY THIS WRITING WILL ENCOURAGE OTHERS NOT TO WASTE THE PRECIOUS GIFT OF WORDS. THE ART OF STORY TELLING NEEDS TO CONTINUE. THE STORIES FROM THE PAST, FACT OR FICTION, NEED TO BE PASSED ON TO THE NEXT GENERATION. IT IS UP TO THE YOUTH TODAY TO KEEP THESE WORDS FROM GETTING LOST.    

Birth sign: Scorpio
Date created: 2004-10-04 12:48:13
Last updated: 2021-03-03 14:46:43
Poem ID: 70371

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