Saturday, April 16, 2011

I'll Love You Forever, I'll Like You for Always


As long as I can remember, my Pop has called me various terms of endearment.  My very favorites were Sarah Beth Elizabeth and, of course, Shortcake.  Nostalgia has a weird habit of cropping up at the strangest times.  I was watching tv the other day - well, rather, I was working about the kitchen while the tv was on since I can not stand it when it's stark quiet.

Suddenly, I felt like I'd literally been whisked back to a memory of me sitting on that old oval braided rug in front of the tv, watching Batman or Alice in Wonderland or The Gods Must be Crazy II, eating pepperoni slices or pancakes or fish nuggets or oyster crackers slathered in butter.  Something about a commercial that was playing, maybe the sound quality, maybe something someone said, I don't know, something that sounded like it was an older commercial from the late 80's/early 90's. . .whatever it was, it struck my heart and I felt like a little girl again, waiting for my Pop to call from the kitchen to me inquiring about what shape I would like my next pancake to be.

The following is a poem by my Pop, displayed exactly as it was written, before he passed.  It is entitled "Shortcake Forever.  I miss you Pop.
In some way, every day.

"The little girl who once sat on my knee
         No words did she know but that didn't matter
  We would giggle and chatter and laugh with glee 
Of things of nonsense that were not there
         Or maybe a pooh bear sitting in the chair
The little girl who once sat on my knee

The little girl who once sat on my knee
        Has learned to talk and would
                    confide in me
The things of importance to a girl of three
         Diapers are gone now
                      "I go by myself"
         Isn't that nice and isn't that great
Then you get up one morning and the little girl's eight         
The little girl who once sat on my knee
         Likes to tell me of the now important matters
Of liking kittys and puppys  and going to the zoo
      And oh of so many thing to do
The little girl who once sat on my knee
                        Gee
                A teenager now
         But she still confides in me
      Of things at home or at school
           The kids that are nice
           the ones that are cruel
           What makes her happy
              and makes her mad
      Some would pull at my heart strings
                and make me sad
      But she stayed on top and always
              took pride of the person
                   she was inside
The little girl who once sat on my knee
      The little girl who once sat on my knee
            The quiet times we shared
                     on that knee
                        I hope              
             Has helped to set her free    
               Of any fears or doubts
     the things of life and world are about

The little girl who once sat on my knee
           
              now says that she wants
                         to leave me
             And that is as it should be

XOXOXOXOXPOPOPOPOPXOXOXOXO"

3 comments:

  1. What a cherished poem! I would have loved to have met your dad who helped raised such an incredible daughter, he must have been a special person!

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  2. Thanks Sue. He was my grandpa, though. He's been gone 8 years now. I miss him all the time. He was a very special person. :)

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  3. He was my dad and, gee whiz Sal, what a land mine! First the picture and then....I miss him, too, so very much.
    Oh, yeah, I can post comments now. Watch out! heeheeheeheehee.......

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