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Poems

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Steve100

Distinguished member
Joined
Oct 5, 2007
Messages
164
Reason
CALS
Diagnosis
10/2007
Country
UK
State
Wales
City
Cardiff
I thought it might be nice to share some poems that have meant a lot to us in the past. I got the idea from Jeanne's poem in the thread for Rudy :) It was a big comfort to me at one time, I hope it will do the same again for all of us, in the times ahead.


Death is Nothing

Death is nothing at all
I have only slipped away into the next room
I am I and you are you.
Whatever we were to each other
That we still are.

Call me by my old familiar name
Speak to me in the easy way which you always used
Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow.
Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes
We enjoyed together.

Play, smile, think of me, pray for me,
Let my name be ever the household word that
It always was.

Let it be spoken without effort,
Without the trace of a shadow on it.
Life means all that it ever meant
It is the same as it ever was
There is absolutely unbroken continuity.

Why should I be out of mind because I am
Out of sight? I am but waiting for you
For an interval
Somewhere very near
Just around the corner .
All is well.

Canon Henry Scott Holland (1847-1918)
 
Hi Steve! That is beautiful. This poem makes me want to practice what I am reading! LOL I have started me a collection of poems since my son passed. Thank you so much for sharing this nice poem with us. God bless!

Irma
 
Why

Hi ,
I thought I would share a poem that my Mom wrote many years ago .she passed away in 72 .My son ( RICH) loved this poem. she wrote many of them so when my son became sick with cancer he asked me to read them all to him again. He cried when I read him this one especially. So when he passed away this was put on his prayer card for the funeral. Hope you all enjoy it. It is titled WHY.

WHY
Why does the sun shine?
Why does the wind blow?
Why does the rain fall?
Why do we have snow?
Because God made it so.


Why do people laugh?
Why do people weep ?
Why do people play?
Why do people sleep?
Because God made it so.


Why does the world sometimes
have peace?
Why sometime sorrow and grief?
Why beliefs and unbliefs?
Because God made it so.



Why some people oh so poor
and others of great wealth?
Why some people not so well,
and others of good health?
Because God made it so.



Why our loved ones taken away
no matter how we weep or pray?
It's really not for us to say
for God has made it so.



Why the hours ticking so wearily away?
Changing the world from night to day?
Why so may things one can't explain?
Well as I said before
we can search in vain,
But the answer will always be the same,
God has made it so.



written by Nonnie
 
That is very beautiful Sharona. May your loved ones rest in peace! How old was your brother when he passed, if you don't mind me asking? God bless!

Irma
 
Hi Irma,
My Dad passed in Aug 1971.My Mom June1972 , My oldest brother commited suicide in 1974 & Then my other brother died in 1989 from MS. I have 2 grandchildren & 2 greatgrand daughters that's all that's left of my immediate family. But I was talking about my SON (Rich) my only child he passed away at 43 from cancer after a 6mo battle & that was in 2003. So I know how you feel losing your son.My heart goes out to you. It is so nice to be able to come here & know you are not alone in this crazy world where some diseases just never seem to have a cure. And now my husband is ill with a motro neuron disease that doesn't have a name yet. May God Bless you & give you peace knowing that your son in heaven with the Lord.
Sharon
 
Hi, Sharon, oh forgive me! I could have sworn I thought I had read about a brother of yours that passed, but that was your son. I am so sorry. My heart goes out to you. It is so painful when you lose a child. Oh God, Sharon, you have been through so much. Bless your heart! Thanks for replying, and God bless!

Irma
 
Beautiful, Thank you.
 
Hi Steve


it's my mums funeral on Thursday and we are having that poem read out by the minister. It truly is beautiful. The following poem is one I find which my dad is hoping to read as part of his tribute.

Memorial

I've had the garden tidied up,
As she would have me do.
This little pal who couldn't stay
To see the season through.
The flowers were her dearest friends,
The garden was her own,
I've watched her work, but never knew
The things that she had grown.
Her, catalogues keep coming, and
Her garden magazine;
I run across the queerest names,
And study what they mean,
I read them all, from end to end,
And when the spring is here,
I'll have a garden just like hers,
As though my wife were near.

Albert H. PEDRICK
 
Rachel, that is beautiful. I also have a beautiful tropical garden in my back yard that my son Rudy loved so, and I spend a lot of time in my garden , and it makes me feel as if he is standing next to me. As a matter of fact, I talked to my son about my garden as he was passing. I told him that I would be taking walks, tending my plants, as he watched. It's little things of this nature that soothes us loved ones so. May God bless all!

Irma
 
Hi all

Irma - I'm glad you like it :) I've seen a lot of your posts. They're so raw, I know you must miss your son terribly.

Sharona - Thanks for sharing that poem, its great that your mother can comfort you and your family still, and people she never even met.

Grace - Maybe you could add one you like? :)

Rachel - So sorry to hear about your Mother's passing. Hope you get through Thursday as best you can. Thanks for the poem, it rings so true , taking over the little things that our loved ones used to do can make us feel so close to them.

Steve
 
I heard this music on a film and it took me a while to track it down. It might not be to everyone's taste. Its downbeat but beautiful (if that makes sense), and never fails to get to me. Hope you like it.

YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.
 
Hi Steve! You are such a sweetheart for replying to me, Sharona, Grace, and Rachel! May god bless you! Steve, my posts are from my heart, my true feelings. I have posted earlier that I do not want for these posts to be about me. I am trying my best to keep my son's memory alive, and this is the best way I know how. My son was very special to me. My Father called him Home, I have to respect that, but I am having a hard time facing each day knowing the fact that I will never ever see him, or speak to him again.

I spent Thanksgiving with my other son. It was not the same without Rudy. It will never be the same. Als put a big dent in my life, and changed me forever. It changed my way of thinking. I am not the same person anymore. This morning, Thanksgiving Day, as we ladies were getting things ready, my surviving son's wife's mom decided to listen to Christmas carols. It was nice, I have always loved Christmas carols, but when they started playing "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" I froze! My world stopped spinning. I made a dash to the bathroom, it tore me up. I actually felt my heart break in two. My heart felt such pain! I could not take it. Is this normal? I need answers, and opinions. After we ate, my son and I we visited my son's grave, and yes we took him a plate. I placed it on his grave. (The squirrels are going to love me for that!) Let me know something, am I losing it, or is this normal? God bless you all!

Irma
 
Hi Irma. We haven't conversed much but I know your pain. I hope you will take this the way I mean it. I think you realise that I am not mean and only try to help the people here. Have you been to any kind of grief counselling? We all appreciate your help and input here especially with the people that have recently lost loved ones but it seems that you spend a lot of time here. People here need some help with coping but I think you need to get some time for yourself and realise that life must go on. I know you loved Rudy but your over interest in ALS must be affecting your other son and his family. I am not saying that you are losing it but by asking that question, either you have concerns or a loved one has. It might be time to ask for help.
AL.
 
And there is nothing wrong with asking for help or needing it, Irma. When you come through this, at the end of this tunnel you will be stronger and more able to decide how you want to keep Rudy's memory alive.

People with your passion often come up with creative ways to turn their grief into something positive, and often that solution becomes one that the rest of the family can participate in. You haven't said much about Rudy's interests but I can see you guys someday doing a golf tournament as a fundraiser for ALS or whatever you think Rudy would want...

You just need to get through these dark days. A grief counselor is a good first step, don't you think? Cordially, Cindy
 
Irma - I imagine anything you feel after your child's death is normal. It disrupts the natural order of things. A good friend of mine died in his twenties, and his mother would cry 'out of the blue' and the pain was etched on his fathers face for a long time.This IS the first Christmas coming up, everything is the 'first time' without him so any trigger that reminds you of better times (such as Christmas carols) may affect you terribly. Let me assure you though , you will never forget Rudy so you don't need to worry about keeping his memory alive, he's a part of you and always will be. I'm not sure I really believe in 'God' as such, but I do believe death is not the end, and that you will be reunited again. I know its easy for me to say at the moment, but its something I hope I can hang on to, if and when the time comes.

Its good that you help so many people on here, and we all want you to stay.It really is appreciated:) I think Al and Cindy are just a little concerned about you, thats all, in that you need to take care of yourself as well as others,
 
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