Thursday, November 26, 2009

Thanksgiving-Rain in a Coastal Forest 2


For those families once whole with the living, my friend Maureen Doallas has written a poem. Republished with her permission;

Thanks Given (Poem)

Thanks Given

We were nine.
We were eight.
We are seven.

We were together.
We are apart.

We were mother and father,
five daughters,
two sons:

Together. One.

Apart

In Virginia and Florida,
New York and Tennessee,
in Georgia

We were a family.

We are a family
come together
with spirit,
with ghost

Eyes looking down,
looking up,
looking out

To a hillside in Arlington,
to a headstone in Venice:

Two to make
seven into nine.

Lips pressing thank yous
on shadows of air
breathed in breathed out
paused

To save
for blessings
round tables

Together,
apart,

As one.

Copyright © 2009 Maureen E. Doallas. All Rights Reserved.

6 comments:

Maureen said...

Oh, Randall, you have paired this with such a beautiful painting. I am honored.

May blessings be yours on this Thanksgiving Day.

Anonymous said...

I recently found your blog...wonderful inspiring work you do. Very moving landscapes with your use of color and composition. The poem is very moving too.

Cynthia said...

I just posted a comment but it came out "Anonymous"..I guess I should have signed my name...
Cynthia

Randall David Tipton said...

Thank you Cynthia

Louise Gallagher said...

Hmmmm.

Sigh.

Release.

Thank you. Maureen and Randall.

I am at peace.

Robin Weiss said...

Beautiful! Painting and prose....