Tags
close-up, eyes, love, Mother, Parenting, peace, recognition, Sunday Post, Watercolor painting
Today’s post is part of Jake’s Sunday Challenge http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/2012/08/11/sunday-post-close-up/ The word of the day is ‘ Close Up‘ – I thought of a quick water colour I did a couple of years ago and then I thought of my Mother and the poem I wrote when I glanced in the mirror one day and saw her eyes in mine. It was actually quite chilling. I then took a good long look at our similarities and differences. The differences are due to generational leaps more than anything else. Her character and her sayings, her love and her tenderness, her innocence and her tenacity were ingrained in me without my knowledge or acknowledgement – until I saw those eyes Close-Up.
My Mother
In my reflection
I finally see
My Mother’s eyes
Look back at me.
They shine with
Calming clarity
Re enforcing who
I was meant to be.
What passed before
In history
Bounces back to me
Directly.
I ask of her wisdom
Solemnly
With due respect
and lovingly.
And though my own
She speaks to me
Expressing her
Real sympathies.
Gone for a moment
But never far
She lends me
Her own view.
My Mother tells me
All the things
I need to know
(For now)
Yet keeps her
Own opinion
So I may
Find my own (way)
The same way …
She made through
Her lifetime
Fighting grief despair
And Sorrow
Still choosing to see
Brightness, hope
Among
Tomorrows.
I take her pages
Flipping though
And find just
What I need…
The sacrifice
The strength
Tenacity and beauty
The smile, the heart
The lovingness
The loneliness
The joy
The zest at times for
Fun and frolic
The quest for not
Much more
The solitude
And peacefulness
The love held deep
For family
The honesty
And innocence
The pride and
The composure
All this to say
There’s so much more
Shining from
My mother’s eyes.
Half of her is gifted
To me, here today,
I see…
I am my Mother’s daughter
And honoured so to be.
19 – Dec – 2011 CC Lesley Fletcher
Elizabeth Grey-Bell Brady Fletcher – forever in my heart & in my thoughts.
♥ May she have found the Beloved Peace she sought during her living years ♥
Inspiration Import 
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This is a very moving, beautiful tribute. Of course, my thoughts turned to my own Mother. I was twelve when she passed. She was 42. I can remember looking in the mirror and seeing my Mother’s eyes at some point. What I can’t remember is when it stopped. I have lived past my Mother’s age now and can’t picture her old, or even as old as I am. She will always be in her 40s to me. Perhaps that is why I can’t see her in my reflection anymore.
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I’m very touched Michelle. What a tragedy to deal with at such a young age. Perhaps photos, even of your grandmother will bring her image back to yours.
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This had my eyes glistening with tears…beautiful…I am off to cry cause now I’m missing my mom. Beautiful post!!!
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Sweet tears to you. Indulge yourself and soon you will be giggling at the happy times – I hope 😉 thanks so much for your everyday passion and emotion
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that really is a beautiful post about your mother Lesley
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thanks Jo – do you see your mother yet?
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No – my Mum died 42 years ago.
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You have my sympathy. Perhaps you just can’t recognise her. She is there xx
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A wonderful tribute to your mother. I also see my Mother’s face when I look into the mirror. Love your poem. Lovely response to challenge.
BE ENCOURAGE! BE BLESSED!
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Many thanks 🙂
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I am much more my Dad, but your poem is beautiful and I love the watercolour too.
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I have 50% Dad in me. Logic, art, clarity, bones 😉 I loved my Dad – handsome(est) man ever!! lol . I was actually a Daddy and Mummy’s girl. I thank you for the reminder.
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What a beautiful poem Lesley. It is a reminder to me of my beautiful mother. Thank you.
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Thanks Mary. Happy to know that.
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A touching tributeto your Mother in your words. Sometimes,
we need time to accept what they already know. Simply beautiful …!!!
Isadora
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Isadora, you are so right. I wonder what takes so long for us to understand the concept. Thank you
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Hi Lesley, I somehow was mis-directed to your “about post earlier tonight when I tried. I left you a very confused message. Now I clearly see what you meant about the world being so small.
I honestly believe that there is a reason for everything, although I rarely now why right away. It’s amazing to me that two sisters of the Universe would have posted such simiar posts today. Expressing their love and admiration for the women that created our selves.
I’m beginning to see with eyes widened by events like this that the world as we once thought it was , isn’t really as big.
Thank you Lesley for sharing this with me~ BB
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Our tiny Universe speaks again and as you say, we don’t know the reason -Yet!
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What a beautiful poem and tribute 🙂
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Many thanks Gilly 🙂
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Yes, I too see my mother’s eyes when I look into the mirror. This was beautifully expresses…thank you for sharing this loving tribute with us. 🙂
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It’s always great to know I am not alone – thanks Vivian !
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Great work for this week theme my friend,Thanks for sharing 🙂
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🙂
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🙂 + hug!
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😀 + a hug to you my dear Steffi
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My mother died 19 years ago. A few months ago I looked in the mirror and I saw my mother in my face. I so relate to this poem so much. Beautifully done.
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🙂 Bittersweet sometimes tastes so good. Thank you for this confirming comment. It means so much.
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Your Mother must have been a very special lady. I love your poem, Lesley, it is beautiful and tender.
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She truly was an inspiration to me. thanks so much Marion.
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Lesley, what a wonderful tribute to your mother! I was blessed with very loving parents whom I miss every day. My dad’s passing was very unexpected in 1997 at 80 years old. My mom suffered from an intense fall in 2010 and never returned home from the hospital. She was 91. Now it is up to me to adjust to a life without her physically. She is with me every day in spirit.
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Thank you Sharla. It is the least I can do. I too feel blessed and live with the memories and wisdom as you do. We are never too old to need them or to ask their opinion/wisdom/history are we?
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This is another poem that could be printed in conjunction with some of your art. The eye is ok, but I see two women in a picture with one being a larger shadow. More like silhouettes and perhaps the eyes only are replayed. No, I’m not going to paint it – You’re the artist. I just appreciate your brilliance. Love you – Jean Ann
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I agree about the art here Jean Ann – It is minimal for me, more of a therapy than a statement of any sort. I appreciate you ! love you back 🙂
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