R L Kilgore
Mar 15
Final Gift
icon1 Ron | icon2 Poems, eulogy, personal poetry, poetry about age | icon4 March 15, 2009 @ 7:12 pm| icon3No Comments »

The small boy brings a single flower,
A daffodil picked from the yard
And presents it to his mother,
And she weeps - she weeps because
She knows he has given her all he has,
All he has to offer and with no
Motive other than his love.

 

The mother’s eyes no longer have tears,
And I weep - I weep because the
Moment is gone when bouquets of roses
With the sweetest of fragrance can be
Presented for no other reason
Than the pleasure they bring.

Now my gift is all I have to offer.
Garlands so readily wove, yet carelessly
Denied when days were warm, now
Serve only to soften a lingering guilt.
Just know, my Mother, on this earth you
Are remembered - and shall by my children
And theirs and theirs to be.
   
                                    rlkilgore

 

Mar 15
A Father’s Lament
icon1 Ron | icon2 love poetry, personal poetry | icon4 March 15, 2009 @ 5:37 pm| icon3No Comments »

Today a love was consummated
with promises to honor and love
and possibly obey, I couldn’t say
exactly what the vows consisted of.

The reverend droned with relevant
admonitions for the lovely pair.
Oh, my little girl,
my little girl with the golden hair

Pulled back in a pony-tail,
shining laughter, knowing no shame
from missing front teeth - it seems
memories most vivid appear in a frame.

“Do you take this woman?”
Oh, little girl rest your head on my chest
for a perpetual moment,
for an infinite caress.

“Do you take this man?”
No! My heart jumped with a start
of desperation. “No,” I shouted,
but my lips betrayed me and failed to part.

Today a love was consummated.
Flushed with rapture, the lovely pair,
with wholesome intent, stood wrapped
in a legacy of love, unaware.

rlkilgore

rlkilgore@chartertn.net