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Sunday, November 30, 2014

Grandpa's gone now -- A 'Challenge' answer poem



Grandpa, raconteur friend, gone
 
Grandpa lived in the good old days
Days of old when children played free
Free of worried moms' curtains peek
He'd be safe until supper time
 
Grandpa ran away, lets go too
We've packed some lunch, water bottle,
And the works in life's small treasures
A dead frog, old key, some marbles
 
We catch a ride, a wagon train
Bright with Gypsy decorations
Bundled away out of the cold
Breakfast porridge, chicken at night
 
One complaint from us, chores to do
Beg from farmers' doorsteps still damp
Damp with warm milk spilt every morn
Get our portion, us urchins bold
 
Then one day the sheriff he comes
Inspecting the train, horses too
Some he takes, Farmer Joe ID's
Under the blanket he finds us
 
We talk about those days of old
We're old now ourselves eighty-five
We snatch a key, drive to Mac Dee
Senior coffee, egg biscuit hot
 
Relive those days, our stories long
How our Gypsy hosts made kids work
How they boiled in oil Gramp's dead frog
Gypsy potion against the flu
 
We've just spread our strawberry jam
Second coffee filled, daughter comes
She'd seen us leave, knew where we'd be
Time for Grandpas to come back home
 
My dream tonight, it's true my oath
Grandpa's in Heaven telling tales
How Gypsies got us, olden day
How we'd escape in borrowed truck
 
Grandpa now six years older, gone
Gone to "a better place"--they're right
Daughter peeking through the curtains
Wonders, angels' ride did he steal


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Photos and Poem Copyright, © 2014 Jimmiehov, All Rights Reserved

I am linked with Björn Rudberg at the Real Toads, Sunday Mini-Challenge Time-travel

Also I am linked with  at the Real Toads, Open Monday (Link)

Bjorn's challenge  is to "Write a piece of poetry or prose that use past, present and future in the same poem."  I tried to do that.  I'll proof it again tomorrow.  :)

Notes: 
(1)  I have written several "Grandpa" poems on this blog and some more that mention the word "grandpa" within their bodies.  Go HERE to read some of them (this 'Old Blogger' machine does not make a "Next Page" button).

(2)  Pictures, top to bottom: (you can click on any for a larger few, click again for bigger still) 
 - Empty Rocking Chair, one of four on our back porch;
 - Elephant Driving Peddle Car taken in our local Toys 'R Us elephant plush toy display;
 - Fall Scarecrow was sitting in the lobby of my doctor's office;
 - a selfie I took on one of few of our cold Southeast Texas days;
 - Pretty Girl Green Jeep taken parked in front of a home in Key West, Florida; and
 - Faithful Shepherd Pal (it may not be neither a shepherd dog nor a 'him') waiting for his mistress in front of a church in Dolgellau, Gwynedd, Wales (beautiful little town, you should visit there--or spend two days and a night like we did).  The church was having a Saturday Morning Coffee event which we attended.  Mrs. Jim bought a couple of embroideried items and we had several servings of excellent (free) coffee and scones.

12 comments:

  1. "...small treasures/A dead frog, old key, some marbles"

    Such wonderful lines; full of nostalgia and memories that will never leave the mind.

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  2. Oh I hardly recall my grandpa.. but I'm sure he wouldn't let me bring a dead frog.. What a great connection to the past .. :-)

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  3. an abundance of joy here..lovely write..

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  4. Nothing like remembering our grandpas. Lovely Jim

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  5. this is so lovely, Jim. all the details are so engaging, and its authenticity shines through (as with all your writing).

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  6. There is always a special place for Grandpa in everyone. Pity those not privileged not having the companionship of one! Great write Dr Jim!

    Hank

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  7. What a wonderful poem about a wonderful grandpa! I knew my paternal grandfather pretty well, but he died fairly young at age 64 of a massive coronary. My maternal grandfather was kind of a remote figure whom I only met in person once. He sent me cards and gifts.
    I'm at that age where I'm poised to become the "older generation." My mother is still alive, Dad's gone. My aunts and uncles are still alive although one aunt, my mother's sister, has some sort of dementia which seems to be a rapid progressing type. I find dementia to be the worst of things, there's just something so devastating about a mind being lost.
    Thank you for visiting us at peppersfetch.blogspot.com

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  8. Daughter had to come and get the grandpas - that's great. A nice nostalgic poem - this was too hard for me to do. You did well.

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  9. I love this, Jim. It brought back my childhood, and the fun to be had with grandpas.
    K

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  10. There are two rocking chairs in our home too, Dr Jim :)

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  11. What a lovely post! I especially could see myself peaking through the curtains as my children played freely in the back yard with a huge field and wooded area behind. Very nice memories:)

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