My Most Shining Moment

In June of 2007, my two sons and I drove from North Carolina and Virginia to visit my mom in Eastern Pennsylvania. She was celebrating her 93rd, and last birthday. She passed away in August of that year. It was a wonderful visit. She was so happy to see her grandsons, and the love was felt all around. Though our visit was short, it was a very meaningful time for all of us.

My mother’s love shared

 Summer’s most  shining moment ,,,

August she was gone

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Photo: Chris Roth

Photo: Don Ziegler

Lillian at d’Verse, asked us to think about our most shining moment. She referred to the end of March Madness when they shoe clips of the most shinning moments of the tournament! Our assignment was to write a Haibun of prose, followed by a traditional Haiku, describing our most shining moment. There are several that I could have chosen, such as our wedding, births of our boys, our 50th, etc. , but I decided to choose my last visit with my mother.

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When It’s My Time

When it’s my time // let it be a celebration
Not down and sorrowful;
A reminder of all the good things life offered
And the things I chose to accept.
Let it be filled with music and guitars
Singing the old songs that stirred my soul.
Make it a time to remember the good times;
Stories shared that warm the heart.
Celebrate my passing with joy and happiness;
Friends and family coming together as one
Finding strength, joy, and hope.
Let tears mingle with laughter and song;
Knowing that I had a great life
Filled with great family and friends.
As my spirit rises to join the Spirit of God, my creator,
Know that life goes on // both here and there.

*****

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

 

When My Spirit Rises

When my spirit rises
Unencumbered and free
No weight or worry accompanies me
Interesting that I value things
When in the end the spirit flies
Leaving them all behind
How much I worry and fret
But this too shall pass when I am gone
My spirit rises out of this shell
A virtual butterfly reborn
From caterpillar to chrysalis
Reborn in the image of God
Spirit Creator Redeemer Savior
Knowing there is no place for the earthly
In the spirit world beyond
I can’t take it with me
But then again… Why would I want to?
When my spirit rises
Leaving it all behind

*

Photos: Dwight L. Roth

This is a poem I posted a year or two ago.

Waiting for Heaven (a Ghazal)

Obsolete // life’s most difficult burden
Life lingers on as you wait for heaven

Your rising soul resists the dimming light
Strong and powerful //waiting for heaven

Time and physical tolls // body wears out
Still you struggle // not ready for heaven

Mind and body fail you // yet life goes on
Disappear // four walls // waiting for heaven

The end is near // it is perfectly clear
Breathing is difficult // nearing heaven

Spirit rises // all earthly struggles cease
Safe in the arms of God // you reach heaven

A few years ago we waited while my mother-in-law was coming to the end of her life. I wrote a poem at that time called Waiting to Die, which was a combination of what I felt about life and what was actually taking place.  Today, I have condensed those thoughts into a Ghazal for d’Verse Poets Pub.  The Ghazal is from an ancient Arabic poety that writes in couplets of the same length. They end in each couplet with the same or similar words. It us usually about love, life, or pain. This is my second attempt at a Ghazal.

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Photo: Dwight L. Roth