For the Poetics feature today at dVerse Poets Pub, Brian has requested poems about history. I love history, and I can think of many famous men worthy of a poem, but none had the impact on me that the one the following poem was written for. When my beloved grandpa passed on I was unable to attend the funeral, and so I sent a vase with one rose in it and this poem. One of the family framed the poem and set it beside the rose; both were next to him during the service. I hope you enjoy the poem.
Just One Rose
I don’t believe in sending flowers
Especially when someone’s gone
But I’m gonna break that rule today
And send you just this one
For one is all it takes to say
How this boy loved you so
& though I know it’s to a better place
I still hate to see you go
There’s so much that I could say now
About how much you meant to me
And maybe later I’ll write a book
For all the world to see
I’ll tell about the jokes and stories
That you always loved to tell
How you made us laugh for hours
Yes, you could tell a tale so well
I’ll tell how you were always there
When anyone needed you
For your daughters and their families
There was nothing you wouldn’t do
But for now I’ll send this rose
And a few more tears I’ll cry
This red rose says I love you
I’ll miss you, Grandpa…. goodbye
Copyright © 1995 C. Mashburn
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Marbles In My Pocket ~ The Official Blog of Charles L. Mashburn ~ Poems, Short Stories, and random thoughts from the author of "Be Still... and know that I am God" 
brian miller said
man….you cinched my gut a bit….lost both grandfathers by the age i was 10….the last was a fireman…and i still tear up thinking the honor they paid to us and to him in his passing….nice piece man…
charlesmashburn said
Thank you, Brian. As you might guess, I wrote this one through a blur of tears. It still chokes me up to read it. My grandpa was very special to me.
Daydreamertoo said
Very touching. Your grandfather sounds like he was a special man. It was a lovely way to show your love and respect for him.
charlesmashburn said
Thank you! Yes, he will always have a special place in my heart, and hardly a day goes by that I don’t think of him.
hollyannegetspoetic said
Very touching tribute to someone who obviously holds a very special place in your heart. Beautiful.
charlesmashburn said
Yes, he certainly does have a permanent, special place in my heart.
Thanks, Holly Anne!
Sherry Mashburn said
lovely . . .
charlesmashburn said
Thank you, darlin!
Grace said
So touching…I love the letter – Thanks for the personal share ~
http://everydayamazin.blogspot.ca/2012/08/sunset.html
charlesmashburn said
Thank you very much, Grace!
marousia said
Powerful in its simplicity – this is a very moving farewell to a loved one
charlesmashburn said
Thank you very much, Marousia!
catnipoflife said
That is awesome! Thank you for sharing such a personal tribute! I wrote one for both my dad and mom. I miss them very much. . .
charlesmashburn said
Thank you for the nice comment, Sharla!
pandamoniumcat said
Beautiful poem for a Grandpa.
charlesmashburn said
Thank you, Dianne!
soulsongsharonlee said
Wrenching emotive write. Moved me deeply.
charlesmashburn said
It moved me, too, Sharon. Sometimes, even all these years later, I get emotional when I read it.
Thanks for the visit and comment!
lucychili said
hug.
charlesmashburn said
What a beautiful comment, Lucy! Thank you!
Susan said
Sweet! The rhyme and meter work here like a kind of cradling, a walking toward and a hugging, a one person memorial heard by Grandfather and God.
charlesmashburn said
Thank you, Susan! That’s pretty much how it came out. A lot of my early poems (I haven’t been writing that long, you see) were off-the-cuff, and emotional. Some of them were really bad, and others came out pretty good. I think this is one of the good ones.
Polly Robinson said
Made me weep ~ beautiful tribute
charlesmashburn said
No greater compliment can be paid me than that, Polly. I wept when I wrote it and sometimes still, I weep when I read it. I loved my grandpa, and miss him all the time.
Mary said
Charles, one rose can say as much as a whole bouquet; and your poem will live for a long time to come. You are fortunate to have had such a good job with your grandpa; and I am sure you will be the same kind of grandfather to your own grandchildren (if you have them) some day. I’ve written poems too that I still cry when I read; and i don’t mind….as they bring people and memories back to me, and that is a good thing!
charlesmashburn said
Thank you for the wonderful comment, Mary!
Pats Devotions said
Hi Charles; Thank you for such a touching article..God Bless you my friend.. Bro Pat.
charlesmashburn said
Thank you for the nice comment, Bro Pat!
Pats Devotions said
You are Welcome my friend…. Blessings..
zongrik said
so sad. you seemed so close!!
events cocatenated
charlesmashburn said
We were.
Thanks for the visit and comment!
ds said
Oh, sweet. There is something so special in the relationship between a boy and his grandfather. Lucky you.
Thank you.
charlesmashburn said
Yes, I do consider myself lucky to have had him in my life!
Thank you for the visit and comment!
yoga-adan said
“& though I know it’s to a better place
I still hate to see you go
There’s so much that I could say now” –
ain’t that the truth…
beauty of a piece charles, thank you 😉
charlesmashburn said
Thank you very much, Adan!