Poetry
~
Reflections From Life Itself

 

Confident Beauty

 

When my granddaughter NoraSue was very young, she developed fluid in her ears that caused near deafness, which in turn impeded her acquisition of language. The fluid in the ear was able to be immediately treated with surgery, but the language delay, occurring as it did during a critical period for language acquisition, led to a months-long process of intensive work. Because I had the time and inclination (and the love), I began spending practically every waking, non-working hour with her. We played games that helped with language, explored every park within reach, and spent time getting ice cream, hot chocolate, or happy meals. This was a special season of life for both of us, and the closeness we developed persisted well beyond the need for speech work.

This poem was written to honor NoraSue on her fourteenth birthday. Here is what I wrote in the birthday card I gave her:

"NoraSue, you know how special you are to your family, to God, and to me. You and I have a long history together, one that lies tender and sweet in the memory, and I cherish it. I am proud of you and very happy to always be your Papa.

With love always, Papa

PS: You know that I have found poetry to be a way to express some things that otherwise would be difficult to share, or to capture and memorialize a moment's essence lest it be lost to memory forever. In thinking about you for this occasion of your birthday, I have felt led to write very personally about the changes I have seen in you through the years and about the joy that my relationship with you has brought me. It is shared now with love and tenderness."

Written with love as always.

Confident Beauty
For NoraSue

One image is all it takes.
There we are—you
Vulnerable, sweetly tender, fragile in a way
Yet the smile and laugh reassure
Looking through the worry and wonderment;
Otherworldly beauty, wisps of hair so fine,
Doe eyed innocence, and
As we play at speech and words
Time deepens the bond of love.
Yet the inexorable seasons pass.

Now look!

Confident beauty—yes, you are!
The ethereal becomes the intrepid!
Your firm faith and strong foundation
Weathering each firestorm that comes,
Tempered strength and hesed love unfolding,
O you the serene and self-assured one,
You write of "a smile that had faded to memory"
And I wept at its beauty
With wistful memories of hot chocolate, games, talk
Time together, oh a sweet balm forever to the soul.

With love always, Papa
19 June 2026