Sunday, June 23, 2024

Poetry Sunday


I found this poem online a while back, and it immediately reminded me of this photo ... the shadow of me and my (then-much-younger) granddaughter Leya many years ago as we watched the famous Pony Swim at Chincoteague Island

Two Shadows
by Maurice Manning


The little one belongs to her
and the taller one is mine, though I doubt 
she knows the shadows walking hand in hand 
ahead of us in the field 
are ours. If I walk behind her, mine, 
without a word, overshadows 
all of hers, a magic I think she likes.
And when I walk at her side again, 
the two of us return, a giant 
and his long-legged little helper, 
who's new enough to walking still 
she manages a wobble or swings 
a foot in picking the place to put it.
None of this beautiful, secret love 
will last. Other shadows will come 
along, and she'll see her own one day 
apart from mine. But before those fates 
arrive, I'm going to stretch my arms, 
and tipping and twirling, I'll show her how 
to turn her shadow into a bird 
and rest it softly in the tree, 
and afterward, when she sees a shadow, 
perhaps she'll think of birds or me.


My shadow is diminished, while those of my children and grandchildren grow. Give them your love and enjoy theirs while you can. And be sure to stay in the shade as much as possible on this devastatingly hot weekend.

Have a good day and enjoy the rest of your weekend. More thoughts coming.

Bilbo

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