Seeds
Seeds
•
There are those days
I still can feel
The breeze of youth
Gently stir my soul
Those days remembered
Of graceful lightness
When faith in truth
Sparked splendid dreams
Those days of you
When all we touched
Was fresh and new
And the world
Was full of wonder
When we were certain
We’d live forever
Strength made each day
A great adventure
Those carefree days
The days we stood
One for the other
As we made vows
To our life mates
Raised our children
Grew our careers
Our families close
Though days of joy
But not these days
I’ve grown unyielding
Rigidly braced
Against the changing winds
Of time and fate
My soul is rooted
In life’s demands
Searching its blessings
Cursing its burdens
These brittle days
I am bent
By the yoke of worry
I am heavy
With the weight of loss
I am haunted
By the ghost of memory
The lonely days
When I think of you
These empty days
How can this void be filled,
When one so vital has departed?
Much wit and wisdom
Robbed from this world
Kindness and love
Lost when you passed
How can this void be filled,
When one so rich with these — is gone?
Who understood
The need for giving
In a careless world
Darkened by greed
How can this void be filled,
When a brilliant light has been snuffed out?
A tender heart
Truly unselfish
Whose warm embrace
Included all
I will not forget!
I will remember you — and all those days
That’s how I will fill this gaping void
With the seeds of friendship
You planted deep
Inside my heart
Now filled with grief
May they grow
To make me gentler
And me the world
A better place
Good-bye my friend!
I will tend these seeds
And think of you
I will not forget!
…
rob kistner © 2007
…
•• To hear “Seeds” read, with music, by the author, Rob Kistner — CLICK HERE ••
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photo collage entitled: “The Bond”
by: rob kistner © 2007
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Image & Verse Too 
Amen I feel blessed to have read your poem. It is so beautiful that I feel it in all of me. Thank you very much
one beautiful piece which makes feel good to read it. I even liked the alliteration in the mid stanzas.
I will tend these seeds
And think of you
what an ending, really nice and blissfull
Marja –
You are most welcome… 😉
Gautami –
Thank you… 😉
Rambler –
I appreciate your kind words… 😉
i too recently suffered the loss of a very important part of my youth ,, to death… the finality of it was nearly overwhelming… beautiful piece i am sorry for your loss.. i know how very great and all consuming it can be…
we hold our loved ones in our minds as well as our hearts – this is a touching expression of grief
This is a very heartfelt, stirring piece, Rob.
and pass along the flickering flame of friendship so yours will be rekindled again and again is my promise to you.
rel
I am sorry Rob. Love like that which begins in friendship is hard to replace. Beautiful.
-bd
Paisley –
Thank you, and I’m sorry for your loss. It is difficult…
The emotions and sense of loss in this piece I wrote are inspired by a composite of several friends I’ve recently lost. Nearing 61, I’ve been losing friends to death at a much brisker pace these days.
“Well do they know what it’s like
To have a graveyard as a friend
`Cause that’s where they are boy, all of them
Don’t seem likely I’ll get friends like that again”
I remember in 1970, when I first heard the lyrics above, written by Bernie Taupin for Elton John’s song, “Talking Old Soldiers”, on the ‘Tumbleweed Connection’ album — likely Elton & Bernie’s most poetically rich album of their collaboration. The lyrics grabbed me — put tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat. Those words have stayed with me for nearly 4 decades.
Now I’m living the lyrics.
Pauline –
Yes we do, and rightly so… true lasting friendship is a rare and beautiful thing.
Thank you…
Jo –
I appreciate your kind words…
Rel –
Wonderfully poignant…
BD –
It is impossible to replace. At 60, I find it difficult to establish friendships with the depth of those that lasted from my youth. It is the innocence and wonder of our younger days that allow us to open and let down our guard enough for a friendship to take real root — and the test of time that enriches and deepens a friendship.
Wow! to the 10th power! Strong and searching and never to be forgotten.
These brittle days
is a great contrasting line!
how perfectly spoken…a blessful testatment to your friend..
The collage is wonderful and makes a fine partner with the words that follow.
You are conveying such a beauitful message through this poem, Rob, the spirit of friendship can be kept alive long after we are gone. It never dies as long as you tend those seeds with love and care. Thank you.
We are it seems the same age. The old addage ‘time is a healer’ applies to so much of my life and probably yours too.
A great first read as I set out on my weekly trip around the Island.
I’m glad I waited till the end of the day to read this, as I might have broken down completely if I had read it before I received some good news from my friend (who my poem was about today). This was absolutely beautiful and moving and I had chills and tears in my eyes. Thank you so much for sharing it.
such deep stirrings… poignant and beautiful. Even though your words and memories are seeds… there is a vast forest in the sound of your voice and I am touched in my heart by their magnitude and beauty…
Mary T –
Thank you… you are extremely kind! 😉
Wendy –
I’m pleased it reached you… 😉
LittleWing –
I appreciate your kind words… 😉
Tumblewords –
I’m pleased you appreciated the collage.
I strive to create a logical and complementary relationship between the image and the verse in my work — as if the two together constitute the whole.
UL –
You are welcome!
Blessed is the person who can say they had a true friend in life.
Keith –
Yes, enough time essentially heals all wounds… 😉
I am pleased you liked this!
Karina –
You are welcome… 😉
You humble me with your kind words.
Lea –
Wow… you are most gracious!
I am very pleased this work touched you…
What a wonderful tribute to a friend who has passed.
Jadet73 –
You are kind… 😉
Rob, what a wonderful tribute. The first post I read, boy did you set a “high bar” for the rest of the islanders. Love the line, “I will tend these seeds and think of you”
Dan –
Thank you…
You are most gracious.