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An empty house, a full life

Standing outside her house
staring at the water-starved fuchsia 
on her dusty window sill
still clinging onto life with blood-coloured blooms


Until a few weeks ago
she lived here
surrounded by her few possessions
haunted by the memories
of her children
who no longer inhabit this earth.

Her body is frail
and she can no longer live here
My sadness as I look upon her life
is compounded by the sorrow as 
I think about all our lives
that are all eventually reduced to this empty scene.

I am also reminded of the happiness
our short conversations brought me
and, I hope, brought her.
A wealth of special times remembered and recounted
passed on from generation to generation.
A verbal story-telling that we hold deep in our souls
and which we can never unlearn.
Simple words transmitted between two people
and stored away to be retold
to those who want to listen.

memories

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Comments

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Jon Stainsby

Mon 30th Jul 2018 10:50

Thank you, Jane. xx

<Deleted User> (19836)

Mon 30th Jul 2018 08:05

Very profound! This poem hits home for all of us. Thank you for reminding us of how precious life and all its moments, even the smallest, really are. ❤

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Jon Stainsby

Wed 25th Jul 2018 18:08

Thank you so much, Taylor.

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Taylor Crowshaw

Wed 25th Jul 2018 09:43

Hi Jon,
Beautifully crafted poem.
Brought a lump to my throat. The inevitability of it all.?
Thank you
Taylor

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Jon Stainsby

Mon 18th Jun 2018 08:05

Thanks, Martin

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Martin Elder

Sun 17th Jun 2018 20:40

beautifully put and very heartfelt. Thanks for posting

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Jon Stainsby

Fri 15th Jun 2018 13:18

Thank you, Frances.

Frances Macaulay Forde

Fri 15th Jun 2018 13:14

Lovely.

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Jon Stainsby

Fri 15th Jun 2018 10:09

Thanks, Brian. It is not about my mum, who I still miss dearly even though she died many years ago, but about my next door neighbour, a dear lady.

Agree. Life is here to be lived and shared.

<Deleted User> (18980)

Fri 15th Jun 2018 10:01

Jon - brought back memories of my Mum. Is this about yours?

Depressingly, as you say, we've all got it to come eventually. But hey, there's a lot of living to be done in the meantime so come on all, seize the day!

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