Thursday, January 5, 2017

A gift: A recording of heartbeats



The nights tear me blue
You listen with grateful tears
And gift me with this:  heartbeats
His.  My beloved.
Sunshine spills, tangerine sweet
Melting winter chill, bleak grey


Drum beats - strong, steady.  
I hear his voice, hued with youth,
mischief, and belly laughter-
Four years of silence.
You're not a stranger but kin
Not by blood, but hearts spared, shared-







Posted for D'verse Poets Pub - Poetry form is Choka hosted by Gayle Walters Rose.  I used the structure of the unit onji (19 syllables):  (5 - 7 - 7) (5 - 7 - 7) per stanza.  Join us when the pub opens at 3pm EST.

I was reading some wonderfully nice stories about heart (organ) donations.  In particular, I was struck with the story of a woman meeting an older man with her young son's heart.   I am a registered organ and tissue donor in Ontario.   If you are not yet registered, consider being a organ donor and make a difference in someone's else life.

18 comments:

  1. A gift of life, heart still beating

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  2. What a beautifully told story of sharing hearts...literally. Such an amazing and gracious gift of life. I'm a registered donor too.

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  3. Oh, Grace, I love the structure of your Choka - I must try that next time!

    Such gorgeous lines:
    'Sunshine spills, tangerine sweet
    Melting winter chill, bleak grey'.

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  4. The thought of that connection between the donor and and the receiver... the creation of a purpose in dying almost. A tragedy and someone saved.. a lovely theme of a poem.

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  5. It is a lovely theme, & the message is sterling. Moving along the trail out here, I've encountered several variants of the form, but none of which interrupt the poetic flow.

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  6. Play with our imagination. Still our heart beats. Thank you

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  7. What a lovely story. I used to teach about organ donation and always feel grateful for the connection between the donor and recipient. We lost a student a few years ago (Suicide) and the only saving grace was that she enabled someone else to live.

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  8. What an amazing perspective on organ donation. Well done.

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  9. A beautiful gift: that of life!

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  10. So poignant...sweet words here of two people's intimate story.

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  11. This is a beautiful Choka on the gift of life - I worked in a transplant coordination centre for a few years and volunteered at the Transplant Olympics. It was amazing to see so many people have a second chance through the generosity of others.

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  12. heartfelt indeed! I echo Kim - such beautiful colour contrasts in these lines:
    "Sunshine spills, tangerine sweet
    Melting winter chill, bleak grey"

    p.s. I too am an organ donor though age has not preserved me that well ;)

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  13. Beautifully written as always Grace.

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  14. Beautiful as always, Grace. Your note made the poem richer and more nuanced. :-)

    Happy new year!!!

    ~Imelda

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  15. This is so lovely...and emotional.
    I felt a sense of bittersweet reality at the '4 years of silence.'

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  16. Well done Grace, with a new form (for me) thrown into the mix as well.

    This one is paced nicely and the explanation takes it to a higher level, not an organ donor but whole body here. Been so for a decade.

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  17. Oooh I especially love a tangerine sweet sunshine and the last two lines!

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