Saturday, May 7, 2011

Photo: Mother, 2 Sons

The photographer
arranged us just so,
seated on the coffee
table with a soft white
screen as backdrop.
We’re smiling, or course,
that’s what you do
in pictures, you smile.
And we each wear white.
You’re in the middle,
all of 34 years old
with the towhead son
on your right and the
redhead son on your left.
I look at the photo now
and think she’s beautiful,
with those cheekbones
and narrow face and
those smiling eyes still
full of dreams and life
and laughter. And now
when we talk a half
century later you
still end the conversation
every time with
I love you.

My mother still has this photo, placed in a big leather-bound family photo album, or else I’d include it here. Five years later, the third son came along.

This poem is submitted for One Shot Sunday, hosted by One Stop Poetry. Instead of a photo prompt, this edition of One Shot Sunday has Mother’s Day as the prompt. To see more poems, please visit the site.

23 comments:

Unknown said...

ah, I love the detail in this... could almost see that picture as I read it.

beautiful poem!

Jennifer @ JenniferDukesLee.com said...

Simply divine. I love ... the love in this.

Just what I've always come to expect when I drop by.

Sheila said...

aw, lovely. My mom always ends with an I love you, too...

Unknown said...

Picture set perfectly in this piece, A beautiful expression of the memory. ~ Rose

Reflections said...

Beautifully shared... love the detailed image.

Randy Behavior said...

Sweet little snap shot of your life. Thanks.

Kodjo Deynoo said...

Ending conversations with I love you
that is richness

Anonymous said...

All mothers have their own beauty, especially our own.

Brian Miller said...

smiles. nice perspective glynn, through the picture...and my mom too always ends the convo with i love you

Claudia said...

aww - this is beautiful glynn...esp. love the..smiling eyes still
full of dreams and life
and laughter.. and what a perfect way to end a conversation..

ayala said...

Lovely... I always end the conversation with," I love you".

gautami tripathy said...

You made that picture so vivid for all of us...

let it be forever

Virginia said...

Glynn you have an amazing talent with words! Beautiful story!

Kerry O'Connor said...

I love everything about this poem - from the title to the last line. Precious moments immortalized with a poet's eye.

hedgewitch said...

And she always will. You capture the essence of who each person in that photo really was, looking back. We seldom see our parents as being as young and vulnerable as ourselves, or the young face inside the old one.

Helena White said...

"Love you!" Beautifully done...

Anonymous said...

good good good

Anonymous said...

Absolutely beautiful Glynn, I think we all have a stock of similar photographs that remind us of our mothers

Maureen said...

And we know how you answer her back.

S. Etole said...

perfect ending!!!!

John (@bookdreamer) said...

vivid description

Michelle DeRusha said...

So sweet, Glynn. And what a lovely tribute to your loving mom.

Steve Isaak said...

Wonderful work, great cap-line.