labeled Taurus by sun,
emerald green by hue.
Fire and earth,
my elements.
1947,
year of the pig.
All this I am told.
All this I read . . . and ignore.
You are my mirror.
In you, my reflection
has no labels,
no boundaries.
You release me,
you always have.
I suspect
you always will.
Stalwart, loving,
supportive, accepting.
Together,
two individuals
side by side,
in sync.
Two harmonious melodies
with unique time signatures.
Two strong vines,
you and I, intertwined.
We blossom sans labels,
sans categorizing systems.
We soar in harmony,
Zodiac be damned.
Amaya is hosting Tuesday Poetics at dVerse, the virtual pub for poets. She asks us to consider cosmology, the various systems that define us by elements, astrology, etc. Image is from a family album of geneology I am creating. That is my writing…and this is actually a page from my father’s desk calendar, ripped out the day I was born; laminated, and carried by him in his wallet until the day he died. He had another one from the day my brother was born. That small block printing “LILLIAN” below the calendar, is his handwriting. A draftsman, he always wrote in block print.
Lillian, this is so beautiful and very true. And though I can’t see the image, I love that you included your father’s calendar page. My favorite lines are:
Two harmonious melodies
With unique time signatures.
–I’m a songwriter. βΊοΈπΆ
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So glad you enjoyed it. I struggled trying to figure out what to write and suddenly thought of my father’s calendar page. I remember finding it when we went through his wallet after he died. He was not a demonstrative man at all….but this calendar page, carried all those years, speaks loudly of his love. π
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I am 90 days older than you are Lillian. I donβt buy into the predestination thing. The energy we are and that surrounds us is eternally evolving – but for a bit of fun and nonsense, astrology and the like is a hoot… π
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Hah….kindred souls we are, Rob! I do admit to occasionally reading my horoscope….especially on days when I’m frustrated with the crossword puzzle! LOL
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This is so cool Lil!
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Glad you enjoyed, Adda! Hope you are staying dry and safe in the heartland…..sounds like Davenport went way under?
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fantastic Lil!
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Thank you! So glad you enjoyed π
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There is so much freedom to enjoy when “zodiac be damned”. Happy birthday, I hope the rain brings glorious Boston blossom!
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The sun is finally shining today in Boston — yes….it rained and rained and rained. But today the trees have popped and all is abloom! π
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Great poem Lillian! Happy birthday… we are both born in May…mine the fourth!
You are right a strong caring partner out ranks the zodiac any day!! Love it!
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May birthdays are the best! My mom always put tulips and lily of the valley on my birthday supper table! π
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How nice!
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He was a proud father when you and your brother were born. Happy belated birthday to you!
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He was indeed, Kenji. And I never knew about this calendar page until the day he died.
Ah….and must tell you….I received your wonderful photos in the mail on Saturday. Thank you thank you! Such a wonderful gift to have them. Family is so very very special.
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What a wonderful tribute to your father, Lill, and a great idea to create a family album of genealogy. Itβs a miracle that you still have that page from your fatherβs desk calendar. I particularly love the lines:
βYou are my mirror.
In you, my reflection
has no labels,
no boundariesβ
and
βTwo harmonious melodies
with unique time signaturesβ.
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I couldn’t believe it when I opened his wallet, with my mother there, and found this and the page from my brother’s birthday as well. Both were laminated which is why they kept all those years. Sadly, my brother died about 5 years before my dad so he never knew about this. But I did give his to my sister-in-law and she had it framed π
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What a beautiful thing to find. My grandad had a picture drawn by my mum when she was about 8 in his wallet all his life – gone now. I like the way your relationship makes you bigger, freer, more alive. That’s what a lover should do.
Happy birthday, as well, hope you had a lovely day.
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Thank you, Sarah. I used to have a large wallet with a photo section…no longer. But I have the small photo section in my desk drawer. Photos of my kids when they were young…no calendar page. It was so surprising to find after he died as truly, he was not a demonstrative man. I never recall him telling me he loved me…..which made it ever so more special to find this.
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Harmony through music and nature. Lovely.
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Glad you enjoyed!
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That cheered me!
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So glad you enjoyed! I’m oh so late to the reading….
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We have the same birth sign, smiles. I love the precious photo and that you live beyond labels and boundaries. I believe we should all forge our own path.
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Amen to that. Hmmmm…..don’t know why but suddenly I’m thinking there should be a word like “Aher” to that! π Sort of like the word herstory instead of history! I always use s/he when using both the pronouns. Now why in heaven’s name I’m writing all this, I have no idea. Must need another cup of coffee! π
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Lillian- absolutely beautiful!
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Thank you!
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This love poem for you and George is heartwarming! You both are so blessed to have each other!
Sent from my iPhone
>
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Love you, dear…..and am so ready to see you this coming weekend! π
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Such a wonderful write! What a heartwarming memento. Happy Belated Birthday!
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Thank you!
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This was wonderful to read,especially ignoring the Zodiac. Love that precious photo.
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It’s a very very special piece of love from my dad that I can still have….all these years after his death.
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I have never felt restrained by my sign… i strongly believe in finding my own path… and so much easier if you have someone to walk beside you.
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oh yes….to walk or bike beside you! π
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I love this Lillian. It is good to read of a rich and lasting relationship. I was widowed at 45, and unfortunately did not have the opportunity to reach my golden years with my husband by my side.
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Thank you Beverly. And I am so very very sorry for your loss. My brother (who as 9 years older than me) died when he was only 51. I also found the laminated calendar page of his birthdate in my father’s wallet. My brother died before my father….so he never knew about this remarkable testament of his love for us….even though he was never demonstrative. I gave my brother’s to his wife….she has never remarried. I see her about every 2 or 3 years….we are very close even though she lives in Colorado and I am in Boston. The last time I visited with her we were looking at old photos….and talking about how my brother died after only seeing 1 of his 5 children marry….and he never got to see his grandchildren or his two great grandchildren. Starr (my sister-in-law) said in the midst of looking at photos, “There is never closure.” Again, I am so very sorry for the loss of your husband so early in life.
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Oh Lillian, what beautiful prose and your inclusion of the memorabilia just is so classy. Thank you.
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What a wonderful image & tribute, Lillian! And my wife was born the same year, so I know the words are true – βstrong vines!β π
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Emerald green all the way. Moss! May 16th myself. π Zodiac be damned but some things figure. π Beautiful poem based on beautiful life.
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