St. Valentine's Day
by Norah Pollard
My father was unable to hug me
or talk to me. He could never say
"I love you." He was too shy.
Too, his mind was in
another world.
But whenever he came home from his journeys,
he'd bring me presents—Little Lady Toilet Water,
that grand midnight blue Stetson,
those many Waterman and Parker pens,
the pocketbook with the brass eagle clasp.
And for all occasions, overblown cards
with the puffy scented satin heart or rose
on the ront. Inside, his scraggy signature,
"To my Paddy, from her Daddy."
When you did not give me
a Valentine today,
I was undone.
And I wept in the shower
even though I am an adult and know
gifts are materialistic shallow
commercially driven wasteful crap.
But why, why could you not have
Wasted some mute love on me?
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8 comments:
Lovely poem, Zee... I love the pictures too!
Interesting poem, First i read it and think what the heck does she cry about, and indeed i don't have a story like that, but i do cry about expectation i have, that are not fulfilled.hmmm.
I love your photos! What a beautiful place you live! Did you ever go swimming there?
Oops i forgot to say: Happy Valentine!
Happy Valentine to you too Jozien!
Yes indeed, I did swim in the Bash Bish Falls in Copake New York many a times. Back in the days it used to be a Native Indian place of healing. It still seems to me that way today...
Oh Hello there Before Sunrise! long time no see!!!
Where are you now, in Leb or in an other place in the Middle East, or in Boston??? Talk to me sister.
those are beautiful photos, zee. i love the one with the big gooses, or are they called goosi in the plural?
"mute" love is never wasted. though it is a touching poem. it makes me wonder when and where father disappeared.
some things one never gets used to. paper cuts. cold water.
Seraphine
Thanks for the photo comment!
Papercuts? That shouldn't be THAT daunting for a woman like you!
Zee, you always mistake me for someone in the middle east. I think I am beginning to be flattered by that, so different from who I actually am :). I am here in Brazil, back from NY where I lived for a while!
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