Friday, February 16, 2007

Love and Laughter


Adult voices, low murmurs, high-pitched lady sounds and shouts of laughter. And always — always — the sound of my father’s voice and laughter lifting high above all the others, winding its way through the full green branches of the maple tree by my window as I lay in bed.

On those summer nights, I smiled myself to sleep in that laughter.

Nights filled with stars, galaxies and other worlds glimpsed through green boughs.

The laughter and the colour green are gone.

But he will be my star — forever and ever.

Amen.

In the beginning was the word.

With endings, there are no words.



(excerpt)
“When It Happened” — Elisabeth Stewart
Ten Stories High Anthology
Canadian Authors Association (2005)



Why? Because I’m remembering — and that is a good thing — always.

9 comments:

Angel said...

that is beautiful. you were a very lucky and cute little girl, to have a father like that.

Your words are very poetic.

Tim Frederick said...

Elisabeth Stewart - hey, that's you. That's cool, and a very nice excerpt.

Beth said...

beth: I was very lucky...and thank you for your kind words.

dj: Yup, Elisabeth Stewart - that's me. (Thanks.)

Anonymous said...

Beautiful writing. And what a great photo of your Dad. What a smile! And you, of course, are adorable. It's wonderful to have good memories to hold on to, and even better if one is lucky enough to have the gift to express these memories on paper.

Now...where can I get a copy of that book? Hmmmm?

Beth said...

patricia:
I'll bring a copy with me...
(When the weather's warmer!)

Anonymous said...

What a lovely excerpt...

I love that you just "remember and that's a good thing". I sometimes catch myself in a memory and have to record it. That's probably half the reason I started a blog in the first place.

My writing is not nearly as eloquent as yours though.

Beth said...

trish: These blogs are a wonderful means to record memories. When we're little old ladies we can re-read our blogs and laugh (or cry...)

And your writing is fabulous - witty, humorous and poignant. You make me laugh and you make me think. Isn't that what good writing is all about?

Anonymous said...

Thanks...you are sweet. But I just find myself self-conscious about my spelling and grammar. I try not to be because as you say blogs are just a fun way to record our thoughts for when we are old...and to connect with other people that like to write :)

(sorry I know you don't like smilies...but I saw that you did one for Guy over at Astoria Oregon Rust. Ha! You'll come around to the smiley yet.)

Beth said...

trish: Spelling and grammar can be checked (via a computer or a grammar book). Writing from the heart is a gift - you've got it.

And I'm okay with smilies - it's the yellow circle with the smiley face (emoticon?) that gets me...
I had to do a smiley with a wink for Guy - he thought I was serious when I said I'd written him a poem! ;)