The one we love

Well, the birds are singing
Out today
Up in the clear blue sky
And I hear noises
In the fields
Where all the wildlife lies

I’ve moved my bed
Over by this window
And there upon I lie
And I wonder why
On such a lovely day
I should realize you’ll die

I miss the days
Of yesteryears
I yearn for days of yore
I want to come back
Home again
And walk through your front door

I remember all
The silly things
We use to do for kicks
I don’t see how
You put up with us
And all our stupid tricks

From “poison ivy trees”
To playing house
And dancing to make it rain
You watched over us
And you protected us
And never once did you complain

You always met us
In the morning
With such a happy smile
And I knew inside
That if need be
You’d walk the miracle mile

While our parents worked
You stayed at home
And you took care of us
You fed us each
And every morning
And watched us get on the bus

We got up early
Every morning
And still asleep came down the hill
And we’d still be there
When evening came
And the night air began to chill

And there was breakfast
That you had made
Oatmeal or Cream of Wheat
It was quick and easy
And it tasted good
And it warmed us to our feet

You watched over us
With loving eyes
You laughed and cried along with us
And you never once
Though you saw through lies
Made us get on that old school bus

You were so glad
To have us home with you
And off to the store we’d go
You made us feel better
As you told us “no”
Then bought us things from row to row

You gave us all
That you had to give
And you made our lives so full of fun
But you gave us much more
Than material things
You gave us a home when we needed one

We grew up there
We laughed and cried
And through the hills we’d roam
And we never gave
A second thought
To calling your house “home”

We always knew
If we needed help
That Grandma would be there
We always knew
That no matter what
We had someone to care

You would take us in
Your loving arms
And hold us as we cried
As you spoke soft words
And eased our fears
You’d gently laugh inside

For you knew our problems
Were little ones
That they’d soon go away
And we’d forget about it
And go back outside
And with the other kids we’d play

I recall a time
When the other kids
Had their very own skateboard
But I had none
So you gave me all
The change that you had stored

Those coins were all
That you had left
And though you knew it all the while
You gave them to me
With a happy heart
And a warm and loving smile

You charged our parents
So very little
And you never raised a fuss
With the end of the year
And christmas time
You gave it all right back to us

You spent your life
Giving all you had
To us, you’re “Little Ones”
And you took pride
As you watched us grow
And you saw what we’d become

You gave so much
You took so little
In my heart I feel so blue
For I’ve grown up now
And I’ve had kids
And they’re so far away from you

And I want so much
To call it quits
Like I’ve wanted to before
I want to see that smile
And those twinkling eyes
As we walk through your front door

For I want my children
To know your name
And to recall that loving face
So as years go by
They can fondly speak
Of their Great-Grandma’s old place

But for now I’m here
So far away
And I get letters and cards from you
And I know the quiet message
That you’re telling me
And I don’t know what to do

You won’t speak up
And say it out loud
For that is not your way
But with pleasant words
On a little card
You say what you can not say

The words you send
Are quite spoken
And coming from the heart
And between the lines
You’re telling me
That you shall soon depart

I long so much
To come back home
And be there by your side
To give you back some
Of what you gave to us
I want to make it home before you die

You gave your life
To all your kids
To your Grand & Great-Grand ones
And you’ve filled our lives
With so much love
So much happiness and fun

Now time has passed
And years have gone
And you have grown so old
You’ve not went far
From your front yard
Nor from that old dirt road

And you’ve never had
A lot of “things”
Nor much money to speak of
But how can a life
Be considered poor
When it’s given so much love

And I long so
To walk down that hill
And to see your sparkling eyes
And to eat Oatmeal
And to miss the bus
As you pretend to believe the lies

But we can’t go back
We must go on
For time will not stand still
And as I now long
To come back to you
I know one day I shall

In these few short words
I offer for you
All of the love I have to give
But I can never give half
Of what you gave to us
In as long as I might live

I know not what else
To say to you
But I hope you know it to be true
When I say from very
Deep within myself
Grandma…we all love you