Saturday, March 13, 2010

Twelve Years Ago This Month

A million times we've needed you
A million times we've cried.
If love alone could have saved you,
You never would have died.
In life, we loved you dear,
In death we love you still.
In our hearts you hold a place
No one will ever fill.
It broke our hearts to lose you
But you didn't go alone,
For a part of us went with you
The day God took you home.
God saw you getting tired
And getting better was not to be.
So He put His loving arms around you
And whispered, "come with Me."
With tear-filled eyes we watched you,
Suffer and fade away.
Although we loved you deeply
We could not make you stay.
A golden heart stopped beating,
Hard working hands at rest.
God broke our hearts to prove us
He only takes the best.
We thought of you with love today
But that is nothing new.
We thought about you yesterday
And the day before that too.
We think of you in silence,
We often speak your name.
All we have now are memories
And your picture in a frame.
Your memory is our keepsake
With which we will never part.
God has you in his keeping-
We have you in our hearts.
A million times we have missed you
A million times we have cried.
If love alone could have saved you
Then you never would have died.
It broke our hearts to lose you
But you didn't go alone.
For a part of us went with you
The day God took you home.

In Memory of my Dad

I wrote this in 1998 by taking several different things that I found in news papers and putting them together.

53 comments:

Missy | Literal Mom said...

That is so moving. Thanks for sharing something so special.

Brian Miller said...

a beautiful and heart felt tribute. i am sure he is smiling...

Coffeypot said...

Regardless of how you got it, that is beautiful. One of the best tributes I've ever read. Thank you.

Matty said...

Such a sincere and heartfelt tribute to your dad. You obviously loved and miss him, but he left you with special memories too.

Meg said...

What a beautiful tribute! ((HUGS))

Janie B said...

Very sweet sentiments. I wrote poetry about my parents, too. It's a good outlet.

Kat said...

OH wow...that is EXACTLY how I feel about my mother...I lost her in 2004.

Davine said...

Oh Gayle that is so beautiful. Having just said goodbye to my Dad it bought tears to my eyes. If I could have your permission I would like to keep it and use one day.

Jeanie said...

I think your poem will touch many of us and bring good thoughts to us of a lost loved one.

Mike said...

What a first read for a Sunday morning. I have goosebumps. That was so wonderful and so emotional. It seems that you have way more than just a picture in a frame.

DJan said...

Gayle, your poem could be about any of us who have lost a parent. I am sorry for your loss but grateful for your creative gift.

Lisa said...

This is so sweet. I still have my parents and can't imagine not having them. Big hugs!!

Ann said...

A beautiful tribute to your father. It made me think of my own father who passed away around the same time. Thank you so much for sharing this

CiCi said...

Hello Gayle, this is so tender and loving. Your father must have been a wonderful man. Hugs to you today and thank you for opening your heart in the post and sharing it with us.

Joanne said...

A very moving tribute. He's with you always, it's so beautifully apparent.

Ms Sparrow said...

That is so beautiful, Gayle. Your love shines through each of the words.

Bryson's Momma said...

Grandpa was the best. I loved him then and I love him now. He will always be in our hearts.

Linda Medrano said...

Just beautiful. I am so sorry for your loss. When it's your parent, you always miss them.

Bev said...

Thanks Gayle, this is inspirational for all of us who have lost loved ones.

A Lil Enchanted said...

How very beautiful.... when you lose someone who you are very close to the pain of missing them never goes away... no matter how many years go by... you still always wish that they were there. Thank you for sharing...

A Lil Enchanted,
~LaShan~

Kathy M. said...

What a lovely, moving poem. You must have loved your dad very much. He was blessed indeed. I'm so sorry for your loss.

Juliana said...

This was so special and my heartaches for you. Next month is the 1st annivesary of my brothers death and this helped me so much to read your words. I thinking of you sweetie

adrienzgirl said...

How lovely Gayle. {{{hugs}}} It's touching that you shared your poem with us and your In Memory Of post is befitting the man you love.

Joanna Jenkins said...

Oh Gayle, I feel your pain. I miss my Dad too.

This is so lovely and thoughtful-- it's a wonderful way to keep his memory alive for you and the next generation.

Sending hugs,
xo

Anonymous said...

I couldnt get through the entire post. I'm so sorry. I lost my Mom two and a half years ago and it's still so fresh and painful. HUGS

Midwest to Midlands said...

Thank you for such a beautiful poem. It was Mother's Day in the UK yesterday as it is celebrated in March here. I was trying to avoid thinking about it because my mom passed away 1 1/2 years ago and I miss her so much. Your poem reflects my thoughts as I'm sure it does many others.

Unknown said...

This is beautiful. thank you for sharing this with us.

Chapters From My Life said...

This is very touching Gayle.. you brought tears in my eyes as I remembered losing my own dad, mom and sister reading your lines...

Nancy said...

Beautiful. Just beautiful. Can I send it of to my Dad, too? I still miss him, no matter how old I get. You never outgrow those feelings, do you?

tattytiara said...

Aw. Well that was lovely. No, we never do stop missing our parents when they're gone.

Holly Lefevre said...

That really touched my heart. You did a beautiful job putting that together. a wonderful tribute and memorial. My thoughts are with you.

Kathy said...

Beautiful Gayle. The loss of a parent is so difficult at any age. I lost my mom that same year in May. It's the wonderful memories that see us through isn't it? Thinking of you today.

Mama-Face said...

What a treasure to find & What a great Dad.

My thoughts are with you.
xoxo

Liz Mays said...

That is so very beautiful and I know that emptiness very well.

Midwest to Midlands said...

Hi Gayle, It's me again, just letting you know that I have passed the Happiness Award onto you. Please stop by and pick it up to share your 10 happy things. I see we both follow the Fifty Factor! (also you too get strange anonymous messages) Take care, Jane

f8hasit said...

That's really nice...thanks for sharing it with us.
:-)

{{{hugs}}}

Closer to Lucy said...

A very heartfelt read, I lost my mother in March and Grandma in April. It's a bumpy time of the year. Thanks for sharing.

Menopausal New Mom said...

What a beautiful poem and tribute, it brought tears to my eyes. Just lovely.

Dorothy said...

Gayle, this is my first visit and it was a lovely one..your words are wonderful...

blessings and hope your weekend is filled with love from your family.

Dorothy from grammology
grammology.com

Anita said...

Sounds like you had a very special and loving relationship with your Dad. What a blessing to have had him and to still honor him.

Gen said...

What a beautiful tribute.

Thanks so much for your kind comments on my blog, I am always happy to hear from you!

Kelly L said...

Beautiful tribute to your dad - love to you.

Kelly

Unknown said...

This was so powerful and moving. You did a wonderful job. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Tracie said...

What a beautiful tribute to your dad.

Anonymous said...

Since my dad is currently in ICU this poem made me especially teary.
I am so hoping my dad makes it through.

Me-Me King said...

Beautifully written, Gayle. I am so touched by this, thank you for sharing.

Kitty Moore said...

That is beautifully emotive x

Phillipia said...

What a beautiful tribute, Gayle...I cried.

Anonymous said...

This is a wonderful tribute to your father, wonderful.

Secretia

Unknown said...

Gayle, I lost my dad 6 years ago last month and his birthday is tomorrow, the poem is beautiful
never feels much different sad and missing him always

Debbie said...

Beautiful ... but I'm crying now.

XOXO
Debbie

Jean Maurie said...

Lovely poem. My dad died in March too in 1949. He was only 32 and I was 13. I didn't get to say goodbye either. Someday we'll meet again. I think I got my sense of humor from him and I'm glad.

stacief said...

Beautiful!