The Quilt
She lay in eternal sleep
The multi-colored quilt
Covering her body at rest
The different patches shone bright
Like her life had shone when she was alive.
She had led a very busy and variegated life
A whole patchwork quilt of very different
Experiences and happenings, enriching
Her already vibrant personality while
She carried on running her huge business
Born of very poor parents and one of many
She had to fight her way up in everything
Making her tenacious and determined
Being beautiful and alluring she was a
Cynosure of all eyes wherever she went
Scholastic honors and relentless hard work
Paid off handsomely and she founded her
Own trading company in a small way
Her frugality and business acumen
Soon made her flourish and blossom
A bad short lived marriage only egged her on
With one small mouth to feed and alone, she plodded on
All life’s experiences made her strong and purposeful
Her humble origins, her good looks, bad marriage, setbacks
All patches of real life formed a strong resilient quilt
Soon she became a force to reckon with in the commercial
World ruled by men- her shrewdness and evenhandedness
Won her many friends and a few foes, all fielded well by her
Her life revolved around her only son,business and none else
And soon her son married and made her a grandmother of two
The two grandchildren grew up and married and multiplied
The old lady continued on even though quite frail but healthy
She had relegated the reins of the business to the new blood
But her decisions were still sought as she was the final arbiter
Well respected by the community and the city’s ‘Who’s Who”
The patchwork quilt of her life was enriched by the sheer
Dint of her constant and cheerful labor of love
Her tenacity and never say die attitude happen what may
Thus when she died she had expressed a desire to be covered
By her favorite multi-colored quilt that had been made for her
Patch by patch by her numerous friends and loved ones
Over the years as a gift of love on her sixty-fifth birthday
And which she cherished, it being a gift of love and a
Mute testimony of her own life, a magic quilt made for her
While she had made her own life shaping it at will!
She had lived her life patch by patch
Like a hopscotch game, hopping over the bad patches,
Glossing over the good ones, loving and living every bit of it
With great gusto, always having the upper hand due to her
Indomitable spirit, intelligence and never say die attitude!
“Everyone has talent, what is rare is the courage to follow the talent to the dark place where it leads.”
-Erica Jong
Originally Published: October 14, 2007
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What are your thoughts on this poem?Filed Under: Collection of Poems, Contemplative, General, Life
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A Candle In My Heart
A non-judgmental glance
A spontaneous smile
An apple without blemishes
A pretty smiling face
A carefree playful child
A gossiping grandma
A sunning lazy kitty cat
A dog chasing its tail
A starry moonlit night
A stunning sunset view
A perfect rose in a vase
A beautiful painting
A perfect piece of sculpture
A thrilling mystery novel
A well fitted becoming dress
A comfortable pair of shoes
A purse full of big notes
Completion of daily rituals
A job well done n appreciated
Lastly, a loving heart by my side
All, fill me with joy, lighting
Candles in my singing heart
Happiness lies in wait, it comes upon suddenly, like a midnight thief at a turn up in the street,
or in the midst of a dream, because a ray of light, a strain of music, a face, or a gesture
has overcome the despair of living.
-Hector Bianciotti
Sans la Misericorde du Christ
Originally Published: October 12, 2007
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1 Comment by a readerFiled Under: Collection of Poems, Contemplative, Emotions, Fun, General
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Hankering
Our life’s canker is our hanker for
the will o’ wisp that is life!!!!
As wee mites we all have simple wishes that
All new parents deliver joyfully on love dishes
Then small desires come gradually peeping in
When we take tiny steps towards schooling
These too get fulfilled in a jiffy
With elders giving in all too fondly
As teens peer pressure makes an impact
And our demands are made without tact
The parents struggle full of ambivalence
Desiring to please and yet strike a balance
As adults we make false starts and choices
That may fall in or be contra to elderly voices
Then we’ve got to live hoist on our own petard
Having spurned well meaning parental safeguards
Life spent on our own terms, can be bitter or sweet
Willy-nilly slivers of hankerings creep in and entreat
Wistfully we wonder had we taken the high road
Could life been more joyful and we’d have glowed
Basking in filial love of generations, forming bridges
Held firm by sinewy ties based on trust n blessings!!!
Oh, to be only half as wonderful as my child thought I was when was small, and only half as stupid as my teenager now thinks I am.
-Rebecca Richards
The thorn from the bush one has planted, nourished and pruned, pricks most deeply and draws more blood.
- Maya Angelou
All God’s children need travelling shoes
Originally Published: October 11, 2007
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What are your thoughts on this poem?Filed Under: Collection of Poems, Contemplative, Emotions, Life