September 27

A Royals 2014 Birthday Present

dVerse, fall 2014, Free Verse

18  comments

When someone you love is diagnosed with dementia as a caregiver your own life gets turned inside out as well. In fact probably even more as the caregiver. But really who knows? All of us are having our own experiences through our personal realities. Who are any of us to say what's real or not real in any given moment for anyone else. 

For me poetry and music have been consistent ways to examine emotions and personal growth the experience gifts me. Recently, I have found myself, once again, pulling at the threads my emotions through poetry. Some how by placing one word next to another I am able to find peace with grief. But even more powerful, I have been able to unravel the gift of the journey. 

Here are two of my most recent poems:

a cardinal rests
it’s frozen reflection
~ encapsulated
your colorful life stilled
in a lake of memories

image of guitar from the neck with the poem Sing Me overlaid.

It’s my Dad’s birthday today. He would have been 71 today. Cancer sucked his life away from us when he was only 63. Honestly, I just could not write another poem about cancer this year. I woke this morning to find two things, the Royals were going to the playoffs and an email from one of my brothers telling a story about how he became a Royals fan. The following is the inspired result.

Waterlogue-royals-2014

A Royals 2014 Birthday Present

The Royals won!
Made it to the playoffs.
You took me to a game once
George Brett was playing
one of my brothers is still jealous.

When I was even younger
you took me to another game
all I remember
is the Detroit Lions sweatshirt I came home with.
I still root for them
unless they are playing the Chiefs.

My brother loves the Royals
because you told him they were your favorite
once.
Years later, all of us went to the K
to see the Royals play.

I should remember the game
but I don’t. I only remember
how nice it was to be there
with you.
All of us with you
watching your favorite team.
We all knew you did not really like sports.
But being our hero
we cheer on the teams
that tie us to memories of you.

 

Shared with the dVerse Pub open link night (#OLN) Thanks for tending the pub tonight Marina!

About the author

Creator of sounds. Poet on an energetic journey with words. Explorer of Frequencies.


 

Delaina J Miller

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  • Sports are such a great way to bond the human race without the usual tribal ways of hate.. Well..yeah..sometimes there is hate..but it’s all in fun and games..

    And although my father and i did not talk..we shared some time around the TV and baseball..he the fan..and me not so much..but that is something i still shared with my father and perhaps one of few things..

    So thank GOD for SPORTS!
    AND smiles too..:)

  • smiles…i can see this…carrying on the tradition…in his memory…i am sorry for your loss…cancer does suck…tomorrow is my sons birthday so i took him to a college football game today…smiles

  • What a wonderful way to remember your dad, Delaina! I love your poem. Interesting that your brother and you cheer for different teams because of what each of you remembers.

    • It is a great memory. My brother and I root for the same baseball team. It is true he choses another brother’s favorite football team to root for but that brother was older than him and has passed. I guess we like to keep our favorite teams in the family. 🙂

      Thanks for reading!

  • It is interesting, isn’t it, why we choose different teams to root for. When I was a kid my dad used to listen to Milwaukee Brave (yes Milwaukee!) in his 1952 Plymouth; and I used to sit in there and listen with him. Our family went to a Milwaukee Braves game ONCE, and it was such fun…mainly because it was my dad’s team. Now the Braves are in Atlanta, so it isn’t quite the same. I don’t have the same fondness for the Brewers. Smiles.

    • What a lovely story Mary. Thank you! It is funny how sports tie us together or to a moment. I guess it is because in that one moment we are rooting for the same thing. Cheers!

  • Such lovely memories to hold on still ~ I am not a sports fan but I can understand the excitement of watching games with the family ~ Love where this muse took you ~

  • Thank you Golda! I love you and appreciate your constant support. The picture is tweaked with a phone app that makes the picture look like a watercolor. (The app is called Waterlogue)

  • It is quite a lovely thing to know what inspires you and to see what your mind and talent take and then read the result!! Love this and the pic is pretty awesome too

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