Writer’s poem Wednesday is back. The past few months I was away, I came across some great poems which were previously unfamiliar to me. I love striking a chord with new poetry. Today’s poem talks about a woman whose son resembles her deceased brother, both in mannerism and physically. Its a beautiful reflection of the aftermath of the death of a loved one. I hope you like it.
A drink of water by Jeffrey Harrison
When my nineteen-year-old son turns on the kitchen tap
and leans down over the sink and tilts his head sideways
to drink directly from the stream of cool water,
I think of my older brother, now almost ten years gone,
who used to do the same thing at that age;
and when he lifts his head back up and, satisfied,
wipes the water dripping from his cheek
with his shirtsleeve, it’s the same casual gesture
my brother used to make; and I don’t tell him
to use a glass, the way our father told my brother,
because I like remembering my brother
when he was young, decades before anything
went wrong, and I like the way my son
becomes a little more my brother for a moment
through this small habit born of a simple need,
which, natural and unprompted, ties them together
across the bounds of death, and across time …
as if the clear stream flowed between two worlds
and entered this one through the kitchen faucet,
my son and brother drinking the same water.
Beautiful poem. Thanks for sharing it!
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Nice piece.
Here’s another: [by me]
NINETEEN-FOURTY-FOUR [dancing the foxtrot]
I saw my parents
Young and full of themselves
He, an Army Air Force pilot
She, a hostess at the USO.
The sudden rushing realization
Of youth, impetuousness, and intention
To make a difference
In a world at war.
Feeling grateful for this…
This source of influence is deep in my bones.
Dictates of the time
Flying into the future, together,
Flying in formation
Towards a life together
Moving on as seeing them anew
No longer as old: young, with all that vigor.
No dementia any more
They are dancing the foxtrot together to Benny Goodman.
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Profound! What a touching poem!
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I love it too
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Oh my gosh, that was an amazing poem. Vivid and poignant and the ending! I love the ending lines, the way the poet talks about how such a small habit can connect two realities, two memories, two people so far away. Thank you for sharing!
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Thank you very much Jade. You know I love it when you read poems because you tend to analyse it just the way I will
❤️❤️
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I absolutely loved this poem! Probably the best poem I have read in a very long time! Some people would think it’s painful to remember a lost one through someone else, especially when that someone else is a son. I how the poet made the tie of similarities between them both, and if you think about it, you can see the brother is still alive through the son. His essence, his ways, his personality is still living and breathing through a different person. The thing about loss is that is stays with us even when we think we have surpassed the pain. One day we are focused on something else until something reminds us of how much we miss the person we lost. These are very complicated feelings, but I love how the poem depicts these emotions in a lighthearted yet profound way. Thank you so much for sharing this! 😄🌟 Looking forward to seeing more of your posts 🙏🏼⭐️
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This poem was so incredible and beautiful too. I absolutely loved reading it. It’s probably one of the best poems I have read in a very long time. It is very difficult to be reminded of someone you lost, especially when you are reminded through a son. In a way, her brother was still living and breathing through her son, which is one the things that makes this poem so special. The thing about losing someone you love is that the pain stays with you forever, no matter how hard you try to surpass it. One day you may be fine, just concentrating on other things, until someone of something reminds you of that person you lost. These are very complicated feelings, but I love how the author tied all these emotions beautifully in the poem. Loss is not about spending the rest of your life grieving, but rather focusing on finding reasons to celebrate the life of that loved on. Thank you so much for sharing this. It was really a treat! Looking forward to seeing more of your work!
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