Letter (To Joan)

[Cihan]

I've seen so many faces,
each a little less like yours.
And I've left so many places,
I've locked so many doors.

Now I'm getting older,
and my bones have started to ache.
All my memories are slipping
and my hands always shake.

You know that I always loved you.
You know that I was always true.
And now that your chair is empty,
I hope that soon, mine will be too.

The kids, they don't visit much anymore.
They've grown up, got lives of their own.
I know they miss you so very much,
oh darling they're not alone.

And I still have your picture
by the side of our bed.
And that tattered old photo-book,
filled with all the memories that we shared.

You know that I always loved you.
You know that I was always true.
And now that your chair is empty,
I hope soon, mine will be too.

Oh I miss you so very much dear.
I miss your long silver hair.
In every lingering moment of solitude,
I'm always wishing you were here.

[Karren B]

I've come back to this a couple of times now, and I like it… A poem of love, loss and loneliness which many can relate to.

It has the measure of Leonards ‘Anyhow’, but a couple of other songs came to mind when I read it, one was ‘Jesse come home’ by Janis Ian and the other was John Prine’s ‘Hello in There’ both with similar themes.

‘Jesse Come Home’
https://youtu.be/H3Sg6kwpEfQ

‘Hello in There’
https://youtu.be/VKoYHFVBpEA

Wishing you all good things Cihan and welcome to the forum!
Karren.

[Cihan]

Thank you for the kind welcome, Karren

I had been thinking about my grandfather when writing it, though obviously it was dramatised in places. One of my earliest memories of my grandfather was him sitting on his bed holding a picture of my grandmother (she passed away before I was born) and I asked my father why he was so sad and it turned out to be the day that my grandmother had passed away. That memory always stuck with me, and is probably my greatest understanding of love.

Ah yes, Janis Ian! My mum was a fan of hers if I recall correctly. Not sure if she still listens now

[Karren B]

Cihan wrote

I had been thinking about my grandfather when writing it, though obviously it was dramatised in places. One of my earliest memories of my grandfather was him sitting on his bed holding a picture of my grandmother (she passed away before I was born) and I asked my father why he was so sad and it turned out to be the day that my grandmother had passed away. That memory always stuck with me, and is probably my greatest understanding of love.

Reading that reminded me of something a friend sent me a while ago.

As part of a competition a group of 4 to 8 year olds were ask what love means;

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbour was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbour, the little boy said,

‘Nothing, I just helped him cry’

The boy was chosen as the winner because he gave the most caring answer.
The tears of love can served as an amazing healing tool.

I hope your understanding of love serves you well Cihan!

[Geoffrey]

‘Nothing, I just helped him cry’

perfect answer

[Cihan]

Cihan wrote

I had been thinking about my grandfather when writing it, though obviously it was dramatised in places. One of my earliest memories of my grandfather was him sitting on his bed holding a picture of my grandmother (she passed away before I was born) and I asked my father why he was so sad and it turned out to be the day that my grandmother had passed away. That memory always stuck with me, and is probably my greatest understanding of love.

Reading that reminded me of something a friend sent me a while ago.

As part of a competition a group of 4 to 8 year olds were ask what love means;

The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbour was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman’s yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbour, the little boy said,

‘Nothing, I just helped him cry’

The boy was chosen as the winner because he gave the most caring answer.
The tears of love can served as an amazing healing tool.

I hope your understanding of love serves you well Cihan!

Aw that's adorable! He is a very wise kid, and he might not even know it yet.

Hasn't thus far, but I hope some day it will!