Thursday, February 21, 2013

Poetry Friday: Miracles


Welcome! The Poetry Friday roundup is here.



My dad turned 90 this week. We celebrated his birthday last Saturday night with a potluck buffet, cake, music, and good conversation. He received a set of famous moustaches from my sixteen-year-old, and the guys had fun posing as Charlie Chaplin, Hulk Hogan, Salvador Dali, Magnum, P.I., and Mario. My dad wore the Albert Einstein moustache, which seemed to suit him perfectly.


When asked about his secret to living a long and full life, my dad had a simple answer – he credits his longevity to “being happy.” Well, he also offered a few practical tips: share your life with a good partner, or one good friend, look after your body, leave your worries behind when you go to sleep. But it’s my dad’s happy glow that seems to keep him young in spirit.

My dad has always been an optimist, although he has lived through his share of struggles. He was a child of the Depression, served in War World II, and nurtured a business through many ups and downs. He has seen friends and loved ones come and go, and has managed his own health challenges. Over the years, he has taught me through example to find happiness in simple things.  





Now, as I assist him in writing his memoir, I am reminded again and again of this strength in perspective. 





The poem “Miracles” by Walt Whitman comes to mind when I think of my dad.

Miracles


Why, who makes much of a miracle?
As to me I know of nothing else but miracles,
Whether I walk the streets of Manhattan,
Or dart my sight over the roofs of houses toward the sky,
Or wade with naked feet along the beach just in the edge of
   the water,
Or stand under trees in the woods,
Or talk by day with any one I love, or sleep in the bed at night
   with any one I love,
Or sit at table at dinner with the rest,
Or look at strangers opposite me riding in the car,
Or watch honey-bees busy around the hive of a summer
   forenoon,
Or animals feeding in the fields,
Or birds, or the wonderfulness of insects in the air,
Or the wonderfulness of the sundown, or of stars shining so
   quiet and bright,
Or the exquisite delicate thin curve of the new moon in spring;
These with the rest, one and all, are to me miracles,
The whole referring, yet each distinct and in its place.

To me every hour of the light and dark is a miracle,
Every cubic inch of space is a miracle,
Every square yard of the surface of the earth is spread with
   the same,
Every foot of the interior swarms with the same.

To me the sea is a continual miracle,
The fishes that swim—the rocks—the motion of the waves—
   the ships with men in them,
What stranger miracles are there?




Please leave your link below. Thank you for stopping by!


62 comments:

  1. Sheri, what a beautiful tribute to your dad! Happy Birthday, 90!

    Thank you for hosting this week's Poetry Friday. Amy VanDerwater and I had fun co-writing "Unplugged," illustrated by my son, Chip Ghigna. We've posted the results on her blog at The Poem Farm and at the FATHER GOOSE Blog

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for hosting, Sheri! "Miracles" is a beautiful Whitman poem. Love your tribute to your dad! =)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi Sheri! Congratulations to your dad on reaching 90 years! He's right--being happy is the key to longevity! I have an aunt who is well past 90 and still going strong. I know her happiness is strong, life-affirming, and contagious.

    My three posts will all go live after midnight. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Diane. I love that happiness is contagious!

      Delete
  4. Hi, Sheri. Thanks for posting links early! Happy birthday to your father. Ninety -- the miracle of a long life is worth celebrating. Friday is my birthday and I'm winding down my weeks-long poetry postcard project. I mail out the last card today.

    Today's poetry postcard is about February 22. http://authoramok.blogspot.com/2013/02/poetry-friday-poetry-postcard-38.html

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you for hosting Sheri. Wonderful post for your father. I like your writing about his 'happy glow'-his gift to everyone I imagine. Happy 90th Birthday to him! I have two original poems inspired from a blog post by Joy Acey at Poetry for Kids, about 'minute' poems.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, my dad's 'happy glow' is definitely a gift to everyone - I like the way you put that. Thanks, Linda!

      Delete
  6. Thanks for hosting and CHEERS to your dad!

    This week's poems is called "A Thought" http://mmsocks.wordpress.com/2013/02/21/a-thought/

    Enjoy!
    M. M. Socks

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a lovely tribute to your dad, and thanks for hosting!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Happy birthday to your dad, and what a perfect poem to offer! I've submitted my link above, but in case it doesn't work (a few weeks ago, I posted it three times and it never took), here's the link: http://mattforrest.wordpress.com/2013/02/22/poetry-friday-monster-supper/ (won't be live til just after midnight)

    Thanks for hosting!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Happy Birthday to your Dad -- what great photos of him, and a perfect poem to celebrate the happy occasion!

    At Alphabet Soup I'm sharing Robert Bly's "Things to Think." (My link goes live at 6 a.m. EST)

    Thanks so much for hosting this week.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Gorgeous entry! Thank you for hosting!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh, whoops, I just realized I posted the wrong link. The other day I wrote a poem ("The Poem House," that's the link above) about my daughter reading some Dickinson and Sandburg poems to me. For Poetry Friday, I've shared the poems she loved best, which are quoted in my poem. If you follow that. ;) Anyway, here's the PF link: http://melissawiley.com/blog/2013/02/21/poetry-friday-between-two-hills/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I entered your info again so the PF link appears now. : )

      Delete
  12. Hey, Sheri--thanks for hosting! Welcome to the Kids of Parents Who Are 90 Club! How wonderful that you and he are writing his memoir. Over at TeachingAuthors we're tossing out recommendations of our favorite books on teaching the craft of writing, and I've posted an original poem on jealousy. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ha - glad to be a part of the club!
      Thanks, April!

      Delete
  13. Thank you for sharing your father's wisdom and this beautiful poem! My post about J. Patrick Lewis's Monumental Verses is here: http://readingtothecore.wordpress.com/2013/02/22/poetry-friday-…-patrick-lewis/
    Thanks for hosting!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Beautiful tribute to your dad! I'll bet you are doing a terrific job with his memoir. Thanks for hosting!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Tabatha. Yes, the memoir has been a lot of fun. : )

      Delete
  15. Beautiful post. Happy 90th birthday to your father. Thank you for hosting today.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Sheri, Miracles indeed! Love this snapshot of your dad -- and what a wonderful project to work on together. Thanks you so much for hosting and for sharing this bit of your life.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Irene! Just discovered over at your blog that we were both in the mood for some Walt Whitman. Awesome.

      Delete
  17. Thank you for hosting today, Sheri! It must be such a gift to you both to create this memoir together, a wonderful opportunity to share and learn.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, yes - I'm definitely learning a lot.
      Thanks, Tara! : )

      Delete
  18. Sheri, I submitted my link last night, but it's not showing - so I just re-submitted it. Here it is again: http://mattforrest.wordpress.com/2013/02/22/poetry-friday-monster-supper

    Thanks,
    Matt

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry you had trouble.
      I was able to submit your info and link and it worked. : )
      Thanks, Matt!

      Delete
  19. I tried to submit my link, but it says it's too long. Here it is: http://thereisnosuchthingasagodforsakentown.blogspot.com/2013/02/poetry-friday-sonnet-for-my-sub.html I have an original poem today.

    Thanks for hosting! It's true -- there are miracles everywhere we look.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Matt (above) had trouble too. I was able to submit his info for him. The form asks for an email address and I can't see one on your blog. If you'd like to send me your email address, I'll submit your link and hopefully it will work.

      Delete
    2. Thanks, Sheri. I got some help and learned how to shorten the url! The form took my link and I learned a new skill, too. :-)

      Delete
  20. Happy Birthday to your Dad! And thanks for the reminder about the everyday miracles - great poem!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Happy birthday to your inspirational dad! I loved his advice and think it is just wonderful that you are writing together. Thank you for hosting today's roundup. Over at The Poem Farm, I have a poem that I wrote together with Charles Ghigna... http://www.poemfarm.amylv.com/2013/02/unplugged-writing-with-friend.html

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hi Sheri,

    Thank you for hosting Poetry Friday today! I just love this tribute to your dad. He sounds like a great man and a wonderful role model! Happy 90th birthday to him.

    Today I’m feeling grateful and have written a blessing septet at The Writer’s Whimsy. http://tamerawillwissinger.squarespace.com/the-writers-whimsy/2013/2/22/how-lucky-can-one-gal-be.html

    Thanks again,

    Tamera

    ReplyDelete
  23. Fabulous post! Happy birthday to your dad -- lucky you to still have him with you, to be helping with his memoir, to get to see that infectious smile on a regular basis!!

    Thanks for hosting this week.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lucky is exactly how I feel. Thanks, Mary Lee. : )

      Delete
  24. Happy birthday to your dad. Enjoy every moment with him. What a great poem

    ReplyDelete
  25. Here's my link: http://maclibrary.wordpress.com/2013/02/22/poetry-friday-getting-ready-for-national-poetry-month/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks.
      I filled out the form for you so you'll see the link up in the list too. : )

      Delete
  26. Thank you for sharing all of this. Moustaches! What a wonderful gift. And your Whitman poem. What a great gift to all of us. This is exactly the perspective we need to carry with us.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, we had a blast with the moustaches. So glad you enjoyed the post. Thanks!

      Delete
  27. Thanks for hosting.
    Ny selection is -- "Be glad your nose is on your face and other poems: some of the best of Jack Prelutsky" with illustrations by Brandon Dorman.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Here's to your dad's next full year and your work together! Thanks for hosting and the Whitman words.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Happy Birthday to your Dad - what a beautiful smile. And a beautiful cake! Thank you for reminding me of Walt Whitman's poem - and for hosting.

    This week I say Happy Purim via Debjani Chatterjee and Brian D'Arcy's wonderful anthology Let's Celebrate!, as I had the great good fortune to have a coffee with them yesterday.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I just got done reading the posts. Thanks so much for hosting and for the beautiful post you wrote.

    ReplyDelete