December 21, 2008

 

 This poem is for my wife,  Margaret,  who has added to my life in more ways than I can count.   She is Canadian scholar Margaret Ward,  author of  “The Family Dynamic”  and dozens of articles on the family and  adoption.   See her web site:  www.margaretward.org

    In a wider sense,  the poem is dedicated to all writers,  artists,  musicians,  scholars,  scientists,  inventors,  explorers,  capitalists–to  heroes of the mind like Margaret– those who created and continue to nourish all that’s good and glorious in  Western Civilization.

 

Margaret treads the path with even pace,

As wild dogs in arroyos bray and race;

Ravens croak and claw in barren trees,

And eerie lizards crunch the fallen leaves.

 

A  flash of color  makes her turn her head,

A blossom blows there in its thorny bed;

She cleans around it with her hiking shoe,

And a fuzzy scorpion shocks with its debut.

 

A hawk dives sudden  through the morning fog,

And plucks a salamander from a log;

Child-like she can only gasp and cry

In awe,  as death,  like mist,  wafts nigh.

 

Yet she’s the truer menace on the trail !

By her witness  wobbling worlds prevail ;

Without the sunburst of her knowing gaze,

Creatures morph to gray primordial haze.

 

In her joy all nature comes alive,

And a myriad of miracles can thrive;

Her love is all that gives creation worth,

It’s Margaret that’s the wonder of the earth.

 

Uncertainty  and   enemies   await,

And threats decreed by jealous gods and fate;

She leaves her heartache and regret behind,

And hastens,  now,  on the journey of the mind…

 

   –lines at Christmas,  2008,  by Jim Douthit

1 Comment »

1. 

   What a beautiful,tender tribute to Margaret. How fortunate that you found each other.
   Keep writing. It is a gift.

   Comment by Vicky Page — October 3, 2009 @ 10:21 am

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