by Kelly Ann
As he would have
I studied
the well worn map
spread over
the steering wheel
at the gas station
I pointed
to the coast
and the route
I had chosen
and the landmarks
in between
I drove for hours
sharing history
and geography
while listening
to classical music
I stopped
at only the best
panoramic views
so my grandmother’s
Argentine relatives
could take pictures
We picnicked and walked
on the rocky beach
enjoying the chorus
of crashing waves
and sea lions
I gazed
at the Pacific
speechless
with the back
of my palms
on my hips
And as I thought
of my Grandpa
I finally realized
I had done it all –
no GPS, the itinerary,
even the stance
just as he would have
8 Responses
What a nice tribute to your grandpa. If your grandmother is still alive, she’d probably love to read this.
Thank you Caroline.
She is. I should share it with her.
She tells me all the time, as this was a recent event, how much I remind her of him.
This is beautiful. Thank you for writing and sharing. I can see it all unfolding just as you describe. And it feels like summer-time … which it is.
I like the imagery. Thanks for sharing.
Suzette and Sterling, I am glad you found the imagery appealing.
It does finally feel like summertime, which it is. Although the Spring disappeared in all the rain out here.
Beautiful, Kelly Ann! I didn’t know “poet” was another hat you wear so well :)
Loved reading this, Kelly Ann. I appreciate this family moment.
Thank you EmilyCC and Alisa for the kind compliments.
Truth be told, it was the first time I’ve written a poem in a long time (other than my musing interpretation recap shared here https://exponentii.org/2009/12/29/peace/ at the end of the year, which is not the same).
I’m glad to see that people appreciate this family moment as I branch out more into poetry. Writing this has inspired me to stretch myself further.