The Custodian
Treading through the Autumn leaves
Hand in hand with his granddaughter –
They kick the golden leaves high into the air and laugh;
Their breath forming clouds of steam
That hangs in the air.
Sitting by the fireside as the logs spit sparks
That flies up the chimney
Like orange transient stars
Eyes wrinkled in smile lines
Deep in thought, together.
Sipping cocoa
Before the evening story,
Content and cosy,
Safe from the world
With only their imaginations stirring.
And every gesture,
Every attitude and dream,
Every story, every nuance
And custom from long gone days
That neither of them knew,
Is transmitted and passed down
That long chain.
For they are both custodians,
Mere sparks in time;
But the essence
Is passed from spark to spark
And shapes all our journeys.
Opher 30th December 2016
The Custodian
I was thinking today, in the wake of the grandchildren’s visit, of the transience of life and the abiding nature of culture. That all we do is pass through. We absorb the customs, attitudes and dreams from those we engage with and pass them on to our children and grandchildren in a relay race through time.
We are the custodians. Only custodians. We own nothing. We look after the dreams placed in our care and our function in life is to keep them intact, polish them and pass them safely into other eager hands.
What an interesting poem. Really made me think. We all tend to rub off our dreams and values on everyone around us especially our family.
Thank you Pooj. I’m glad you liked it. I haven’t been writing many poems lately. Too busy moving house.
Oh wow you’re moving too?? Wow many people on my blog seem to be doing that these days. Well I hope your new house brings you lots of joy and positivity! 🙂
Yeah I actually hadn’t seen your posts for a while but it’s great that your back! 🙂
We’ve moved in now. Lots of work to do. All very time-consuming and stressful. But we love our new house.
That is a very beautiful word for it, Opher. I LOVE it! Great poem!
Thank you Cheryl. It came to me in my present state of exhaustion.
Reblogged this on Opher's World and commented:
For my grandchildren.
The pity is there is less now to pass on, we all helped to destroy so much, if not personally we stood by and did nothing, until now and so much is gone. Yet there are those that stand by and allow Terrorists to exist to attempt to destroy our way of life, that very life you as a Grandparent want to pass on. I have no Grandchildren and don’t expect to ever see any but I will fight for those Children to come in this World, fight to stop the scum that wants to destroy us. Fight, fight, fight maybe only by words to try and show those that have blinkers on, the Terrorists live amongst us, ready to destroy what you want to pass on for future generations. Do you want to see your Granddaughter or her Daughter being forced to wear a Burka, because as much as you deny it this is what “They” want to pass on as Custodians of the shit they believe in.
Lovely words, leaves and logs and cocoa etc, very touching.
The scum of ISIS, Boko Haram, A Qaeda, Al Shabaab and the other murdering fundamentalists need opposing in every way. All religious fundamentalism is repulsive. But they are not the norm for Muslims. Much as I despise all religion most Muslims are tolerant, peaceful and ordinary people. They aren’t after putting everyone in burqas.
I will join you in your stand against terrorism Anna.
Well I am amazed and thank you Opher, I don’t know what we as individuals can do to fight these people who know they will be defeated but don’t care. This Country has changed too much and not for the better. I am not stupid I know we have to move on, but not the way that is being forced on us. And now we have this nonsense of tearing down monuments. History cannot be destroyed it happened. The call for Nelsons Column to be torn down started by that stupid woman Sky news reader is beyond belief, what next the Lions in Trafalgar Square. The woman Pakistani was she MP under Corbyn who said the White girls being raped by Pakistani men should stop complaining. I hate to say this, but what a pity she is not lifted off the streets and gang raped by these Pakistani men, perhaps she would then shut her mouth.
The World and what’s going on, and too many sit by and let it happen, sickens me, annoys me. If my fingers can do the talking for me I will oppose all I think that is wrong. Have British people for example ever realized how 4/5 year old little boys are taught by ISIS to take the heads of those that they capture, see the films and watch in horror. We need to wake up, we really do.
Thankfully ISIS is being defeated on all fronts. They are a bunch of brainwashed primitives. The rest of the job wil;l be to reeducate those kids who have been indoctrinated.
I think it is ridiculous to take down monuments. You can’t remove history even if that history is of unpleasant things.