I never met either of my grandfathers;
I’ve heard a lot about them, nonetheless.
That one was kind, a gentle man, a draftsman;
The other was an alcoholic mess
I’d see their photos on the walls, in albums;
A pair of piercing eyes, so grave and sad –
But realized that I would never know them
Not in-the-flesh, the way my parents had
A carpenter who liked to drink – my mom’s dad;
I know his favorite joke, some things he said –
My mom was only nineteen when he passed, though,
From the poor home my mom had lately fled
An engineer for Kodak was my dad’s dad;
Who taught my dad’s young wife first how to drive.
A man she loved, and still calls “Pop” to these days,
Who showed her gentlemen were still alive
Why do I talk about these long gone men now?
Because I realize that all I know
About my grandfathers is in the stories
I’ve heard about them, passed from long ago
And so when my days end, let my grandchildren
Know funny things I did, or things of worth;
Let me leave them a legacy of stories
To show that I once walked
Upon the earth
= = = = =
Prompt : “Imagine yourself at the end of your life. What sort of legacy will you leave? Describe the lasting effect you want to have on the world, after you’re gone. “
I never knew, heard, or met my grandparents on either side. My father was an orphan and my mother’s father passed when she was 7 and she had a love/hate relationship with her own mother.
I only met my grandmother on my dad’s side. She loved kids, was about four feet tall, and about four feet wide, at least in my memory.
Because my wife and I are each divorced, our grandkids have numerous grandparents. I wonder what they’ll remember of us.
Your grandmother sounds like a dwarf. 😉 you’ll have a big extended family. My in laws have many brothers and sisters so big family that way. My mother not so much and my father I probably won’t ever know and that is sad isn’t it ?
It is sad, at least, to me. It seems that much of our own sense of who we are starts way back with our sense of who all we “come from”.
Maybe, maybe not. I am starting to sense I’m “withdrawing” from my culture.
That love/hate relationship is what my son has with his mother. He hasn’t spoken to her since early summer.
That’s terrible..I hope one day it will happen..and not that day I’m implying..
I do, too. But that is, sadly, a very wide gulf.
There is always hope and faith and that’s all you can do.
Neither did I … I grew up with a mom and grandmother. Always light and <3!
… and… I get the feeling you were about to say more.
I love this!
Thank you.
I agree my friend. I’m a Grandfather. I ensure I have time for the grandchilren. Show them the sea, the forest and how to laugh/have some fun. A outstanding story.
Excellent advice, my friend. I intend to take it.
We must. Us elders must teach the children love, kindness and concern. Old Native American wisdom. “Grandparent are the teachers of the children and they must teach them well.”
Reblogged this on johncoyote and commented:
Amazing story by a talented writer. Please read and enjoy the outstanding work.
Reblogged this on Belleva and commented:
Family, love is all we need to be. Lovely poem.