MIRRORS OF LIFE
A CARD FROM PAPA TO AMY
12/17/87
NOW THIS JUST ISN'T ANY OLD CARD
I'M WRITING WITH LOTS OF LOVE,
AND SINCE YOU ENJOY RECEIVING MAIL
THE ORDERS CAME STRAIGHT DOWN FROM ABOVE:
"YOU WRITE A POEM FOR AMY NOW,
YOU SEE SHE'S A WEE BIT SAD,
SHE REALLY DOESN'T SHOW IT MUCH
AND A CARD WOULD MAKE HER GLAD,
AND I WANT YOU TO TELL HER THAT I MISS HER
WHEN SHE DOESN'T TAKE THE TIME,
TO CONCENTRATE AND MEDITATE ON ME
SEEMS JUST LIKE A CRIME,
I WANT YOU TO TELL HER THAT I LOVE HER
THAT SHE MEANS ALL HEAVEN TO ME,
AND I, I'D SORTA LIKE FOR HER TO VISIT
HERE BEYOND THE ASTRAL WHERE SHE'S FREE,
PLEASE BE SURE TO REMIND HER
I'M IN EVERY BOOK ON HER SHELF,
AND THAT I'M HER MOST SINCEREST FRIEND
HER TRUEST HIGHER SELF."
HE STOPPED TALKING JUST ABOUT NOW
HERE I SET THIS SILLY GRIN ON MY FACE,
WHO'S GONNA BELIEVE GOD GAVE ME THESE WORDS
OF LOVE THAT TIME CANNOT ERASE?
SO I TAKE PLEASURE IN MY CRAFT
AS I PEN THESE WORDS FOR YOU,
AND AMY, MY MIND IS RACING BACK AND FORTH
FROM 14 BACK TO WHEN YOU WERE TWO.
IF YOU CAN JUST FOR NOW STEP ASIDE
AND LET THIS CHRISTMAS WALK ON PAST,
AND FORGET THE SKIMPY WAY I PROVIDE
A JOY WILL COME AT LAST...
IT MAY NOT BE A SPIRITUAL THING
THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO MAKE YOU GLAD,
IT MAY BE JUST A SILLY OLD CARD
WRITTEN BY A SILLY, EMOTIONAL DAD,
BUT EVEN IF THIS IS ALL YOU GET
TO GOD- I COULD GIVE YOU THE WORLD
AND GOD GAVE ME MY CHRISTMAS GIFT EARLY
14 YEARS AGO IN FACT, WHEN I GOT THIS BABY GIRL.......
WHY, SHE WAS BUBBLY AND SWEET AND FULL OF SQUEALS
AND I RECALL HER JUST LIKE A BABY BIRD,
YOU SEE, SHE LOVED RESTAURANTS BEFORE SHE COULD TALK
AND "NUM" WAS HER FIRST, MOST FAVORITE WORD.
THEN HER QUESTIONS FINALLY CAME
ABOUT DROVE ME OUT OF MY MIND,
AND FROM THAT TIME TIL NOW, I GUESS
IF SHE HAD ANY FAULTS- WELL, I WAS BLIND!
WHEN SHE BECAME A TEEN AT LAST
AND SHE FELT SHE WAS PULLED IN TWO,
TOO YOUNG TO DATE, TO MATURE TO REFUSE
" MY GOD, PAPA!" SHE WOULD ASK, "WHAT CAN I DO?"
THEN DAD REMEMBERED THE MISTAKES HE MADE
AND SOMETIMES THEY WAKE HIM AT NIGHT
AND HE LOOKS IN ON AMY'S SLEEPING FACE
AND PRAYS, "DEAR GOD, PLEASE HELP HER TO DO RIGHT!"
IT'S NOT THAT HE DOESN'T TRUST HER
THO IT SURE TURNS OUT THAT WAY,
WHEN THE GUYS CAME TO VISIT
HE COULD NOT LET THEM STAY.
SO HE ACTED PUT OUT, FOR HE UNDERSTOOD
LOOKING BACK IT WAS HIS FEAR,
FOR WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG AND FULL OF PISS
THE WAY'S NOT ALWAYS CLEAR.
OH, SHE ARGUED THAT SHE IS RIGHT
AND PAPA ALMOST GAVE IN
AND HOW COULD PAPA BE SO MEAN
WAS HE GUILTY FROM SOME SECRET SIN?
SHE WOULD CRY AND STOMP HER FOOT
AND PUT UP AN AWFUL FUSS,
TIL PAPA FINALLY WOULD EXPLODE
AND LOOK AT HER AND CUSS.
BUT SHE KEEPS TRYING IN HER OWN WAY
TO CHANGE HER PAPA'S SONG,
WHEN SHE FINALLY WOULD EXPLODE AND SAY
"I'M ALL GROWN UP, DAD YOU ARE WRONG!"
THEN SHE SLIPS OUTSIDE AT PLAY
AND TAKES AN UGLY FALL
AND RENEWS DAD'S FEARS AND REMINDS IN TEARS
SHE'S STILL A BABY AFTERALL.
SO, AMY, THIS CHRISTMAS I THANK GOD
FOR ALL YOU'VE GONE THROUGH, YOUR HEART'S STILL GOOD,
DESPITE THE SCRAPES AND DEEP FEELINGS THAT HURT.....
YOU ALWAYS BOUNCE BACK AND LAUGH LIKE I KNEW YOU WOULD
AND WIPE YOUR DRTY HANDS ON YOUR SHIRT....
YES, YOU'RE A WINNER, IT'S NOT MY FAULT
IT'S SOMETHING YOU BUILT, YOU'VE BROUGHT
ACROSS THE EONS OF TIMES AGO
JUST SOMETHING FOR WHICH YOU SOUGHT
PERHAPS THE SUNLIGHT OF LIFE TO MELT THE SNOW.
WITH YOU AROUND LIFE'S BEEN GRAND
AND HERE I AM FOR GOD, I COULD NOT REFUSE,
FOR YOU CHOSE ME AND SIMEON AND MOMMA
AND ANNA....WELL, ANNA DIDN'T LOSE!
SHE WAS YOUR FIRST LIVE DOLL
FOR SEVEN YEARS YOU BROUGHT HER JOY
THEN DEATH CAME AND RIPPED APART
YOUR MOST FAVORITE TOY.........
THE LOSS OF ANNA, BEAT OF OUR HEART!
MOMMA, SIMEON AND ME AND YOU WITHIN
ONE DAY THE CLOUD OF TIME WILL CEASE
IT'S NOT FAR OFF, I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW
WE'LL ALL FIND TRUE PEACE
FOR ANNA PREPARED THE WAY FOR US TO GO!
SO, KEEP ON HANGING ON FOR AS THE POET SAID
"EVEN THIS SHALL PASS!"
FOR SOON, WE ALL SHALL SEE AS CLEAR AS DAY
AND NOT AS NOW SEEING THROUGH A SMOKEY GLASS
FOR WE SHALL HAVE ARRIVED TO STAY.
AMY, CAN YOU IMAGINE THE LAUGHTER AND THE SHOUT,
AND THE STARS WILL DIM IN EARTH'S BLACKENED SKY,
AS ANGELS FLAP THEIR INVISIBLE WINGS AND DANCE ABOUT
AND THE MOON WILL FADE AND THE SUN WILL DIE?
.......AND WE WILL HAVE NOT ONE SAD TEAR IN OUR EYE!
BUT WE'LL LIVE ON AS THE SUN OF LIFE
AND GOD WILL SHOW US HIS LIFE AS ON A FILM,
WHERE GOD IS FATHER AND WISDOM, HIS WIFE
WILL BE OUR PARENTS IN THAT PERFECT REALM.
HE'LL TELL US HOW OTHERS CAME TO MAKE FUN
AND HOW WE GREW TIL WE BACAME SO TALL
OF HIS MOON AND GLORIOUS, RADIANT SUN
THEY NEVER REALLY UNDERSTOOD AFTER ALL.
HE'LL TELL HOW ALL THE OTHER GODS
MADE THE DIRT ON EARTH BOUND BY TIME
AND REFUSED TO BE LOVE AND BECAME MERE CLODS
AND GAVE OLD EARTH ITS HURT AND CRIME.
HE'LL PROBABLY TELL US ABOUT WHEN HE WAS YOUNG
MISUNDERSTOOD, BOUT TORN CLEAR IN TWO
PERHAPS HE'LL TALK WHEN HE WAS A TEEN
AND LIVED HIS LIFE AS ME AND YOU
AND I CAN HEAR YOU SAY, "GOD! YOU TOO?"
HE'S NOT FAR FROM EACH OF US
HE DWELLS IN OUR SECRET PART
AND IT IS HE WHO WRITES THIS POEM
HE JUST WHISPERED IT TO MY HEART.
SO, I BID YOU FOND FAREWELL, YOUR PASSAGE
ON THIS, YOUR SCHOOL CONCERT NIGHT
I WILL SEE YOU ERE COMES THE MORN,
WHERE WITH YOU YOUR STUFFED ANIMALS
GATHER TO GET WARM, SNUGGLED AGAINST YOU TIGHT.
SO JUST BE GLAD THAT I'M YOUR DAD
AND YOUR MOM CARRIED YOU BENEATH HER BREAST
FOR IT WAS HER AFTER ALL WHO GAVE HER BETTER AND HER BEST.....
SOME MOTHER'S LOVE WARMED BY MILK
THAT FLOWED IN PURE DELIGHT
THAT POURED O'ER YOUR TENDER BABY LIPS
AND PRODUCED YOU, THIS GHASTLY, EXPLOSIVE SIGHT!
14 YEARS OF CHARM AND WIT
AND A LITTLE GRACE THROWN IN BETWEEN
AND JUST ENOUGH CLUMSY TO KEEP YOU HUMBLE
BUT NOT ENOUGH TO DESTROY YOUR DREAM.
SO, NOW YOUR SITE IS A DOCTOR'S LIGHT
AND A STETHESCOPE TO HEAR
THE BEATING OF YOUR CHILDREN'S HEARTS
AND A LIGHT TO SHINE IN EACH EAR.
OH, BUT I KNOW WHY YOU'ER GOING BACK
TO A PEDIATRICIAN'S CARRER
FOR ANNA WILL BE ON EVERY FACE
ONLY YOU WILL SEE HER CLEAR.
YOU'LL NOT BE SATISFIED, I KNOW YOU
TIL YOU HAVE FOUND A SUCCESSFUL WAY
FOR ANNA'S SAKE, YOU'LL DESTROY
CYSTIC FIBROSIS, IT WILL NOT STAND ANOTHER DAY.
THERE ARE THOSE WHO GAIN FROM DISEASE
AND THEY'LL FIGHT YOU TO DESTROY
FOR THE MONEY MEANS MORE TO THEM
THAN THE MERE LIFE OF AN INNOCENT, LITTLE GIRL OR BOY,
BUT I HAVE FAITH YOU'LL BE THE ONE
TO GO ON AND TOUCH EDGAR CAYCE'S OTHER MIND,
AND THAT UNEVENTFUL DISEASE OF THE YOUNG
GOD THROUGH YOU --A REMEDY WILL FIND!
SO, NOW, HOW CAN YOU BE SAD
WITH SUCH A LEGACY BEHIND AND AHEAD?
WHY, CURRIE, PASTUER, THOSE MEDICAL GIANTS OF GOD
WILL HELP YOU EVEN RAISE THE DEAD.
PERHAPS THESE WORDS ARE VERY PROPHECY
OF THE WHICH MY PEN DOES WRITE,
AND THEN AGAIN, PERHAPS IT'S JUST A FATHER'S DREAM
A FALLING LIGHTNING BUG IN PAPA'S WISHFUL NIGHT.
WHATEVER COMES I HAVE QUITE ENJOYED MYSELF
TO BE ALLOWED TO PEN EACH WORD AND RHYME
TO OPEN UP THIS YET, UNSEEN DOOR FOR YOU,
AND FOR THIS ONE MOMENT, YOU TO REMIND:
AMY, I LOVE YOU, AND THAT REALLY IS THE BOTTOM LINE
TO HAVE MISSED YOUR AWESOME LIFE AND PRESENCE
WOULD HAVE BEEM SOME HORRIBLE, AUDACIOUS CRIME.
BUT I'M THE BETTER, CAN YOU HEAR THEM?
WHAT ELSE WOULD INSPIRE THESE MANY WORDS FROM MY HEART?
AH, BUT YOU KNOW, I CAN FEEL IT
THE FINISH THAT I MAKE....... NOW BECOMES YOUR START!
FROM PAPA (WRITTEN 15 YEARS AGO)
THEPOETSKISS COPYRIGHT 2002
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A CARD FROM PAPA TO AMY
A CARD FROM PAPA TO AMY
