The Light Through The Leaves

Where I'll find you

I’ve been writing for a few years now and my writing has evolved mostly into poetry and memoir. My dad was the first person I started sharing it with, so it only seems appropriate that this is my first official post. I wrote this a few days after he passed. It’s called:

THE LIGHT THROUGH THE LEAVES
Sitting here
Next to 
The hole in the earth
Which somehow
Holds you
It’s surreal
That you’re gone
That you’re there
Yet you’re not
You’re here
You’re there
You’re everywhere
You’ve always been there
For me 
And now…
I must find you
Inside my head
Inside my heart
In the majestic trees
And the sunlight through the leaves
The green of the hills
The sweet breeze
The deer and the hawk
The eagle and fox
The light of the fireflies
And dance of the butterflies
All the birds and the insects
Singing for you
The sun warm on my back
Like your hand
Of support
Strong and gentle
Always dependable
I was just talking to you 
Days ago
Holding your hand
Smoothing your hair
I asked 
Can I read you 
Some of my writing
(I’d read some before)
You said 
Poetry or prose
Poetry I said
You smiled
And then requested 
The one
About the trees
The light coming through
The leaves
I think that’s where
You’ll be
I wanted to ask you but…
I didn’t know those were
The last moments
Last conversations
The last time
I’d look at
And talk to
And be…
With you
I was just telling you 
I love you
You telling me back
No question at all
We knew how deep
That’s everything
That’s all there is
So brutiful life is
So long
So fleeting
Here one moment 
Gone the next 
Can’t get my head wrapped around
How it can be
I will miss you
So much
So…much
So deeply
My daddy
My dad
My father
My big 
And strong
Loving and silly
Curious
Intelligent and creative 
Challenging and supportive
Huge hearted
Father
I will always
Be your little girl
Dancing on your feet
With my hand in yours 
As in our father/daughter dance
“I hope you dance”
Yes dad
I will dance
And I will encourage
Your granddaughters
As you did
With each of them
To not sit it out
But to dance
And I, too, will try
To follow your example
To live my life
With as much curiosity 
And love
Creativity, joy
And wholeheartedness
As I can
As a way to honor 
All that you wanted 
For me
And for you
For all who met you
And for all 
Whom you loved❤️