To Judi, at Sunrise

    I was asked to write a poem for Reed's aunt Judi's memorial service, which was today. I have known Judi since before Reed and I married 47 years ago. She told me what a good guy Butchie (her name for him) was, and I got the impression that what she was not saying aloud was, Don't hurt him! She had apparently heard that when we started dating in college, I was also interested in another guy who had gone home to Montana. In Bible college, where you are considered practically engaged if you sit with the same guy twice in chapel, I got a terrible reputation as a two timer, that I was using Reed to make the guy I really liked jealous. After nearly five decades of marriage to Reed, I hope I have proved I am not just stringing him along. 

    There were a lot of specifics about Judi in the beautiful obituary written by her granddaughter, but I have found specifics make long and awkward poems. Like the seven verse song, "The Wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald", minus the music to tie it together. I also like to keep my grief poetry simple to be applicable to as many people as possible. I don't know if my poem was included in the memorial, we were unable to attend, but I told family I wouldn't post it here until after the service. Here is my farewell to Judi.

 

To Judi, At Sunrise

 

In this life we walk toward a sunset

through the warmth of the sun

and the chill of the snow.

 

We learn both of beauty and sorrow

through the choices we make

and the places we go.

 

We build friendships,

and houses, and families, with

times of adventure and fun.

We leave all our possessions

behind us, and yet, the bequest

 of our love lingers on.

But the treasure we keep

at the end of life's day

are the lives that we touched

along the way.

To Judi, at sunrise

9/4/24