A hot Louisiana summer afternoon,
And the bobber hits the water with a “plop”;
Me and my grandpa cat-fishing,
I wished those days wouldn't stop.
Many evenings we spent sitting there,
Fishing on the banks of the bayou;
The weeks I spend with my grandparents,
To a little boy, they were too few.
Marshmallows resting on a bonfire,
Under a star-filled country night sky;
Chasing lightning bugs through the fields,
With the crickets singing a summer lullaby.
Playing out in the summer storms,
Until the lightning chased me inside;
Swimming with me down at the borrow pit,
Or taking me in the truck for a ride,
Going out in the boat was such fun,
But usually I would end up afloat;
Checking trout lines and clearing logs,
Grumps was always tipping the boat.
Sometimes letting me drive the car,
Or teaching me to shoot a gun;
Spending the two weeks with my grandparents,
Were happy days filled with such fun.
There were many things I was taught,
While sitting around the campfires.
Protect your brothers and sisters from harm,
And never get mixed up with liars.
Treat women like their one of your sisters,
And try to save up all your money;
Don’t ever be mean to others,
Even though it may be funny.
Lessons every boy should have,
Were things my grandpa taught me;
Things that I hold on to still,
Words of wisdom that I now see.
But back in nineteen ninety-three,
My childhood trips would end;
To fetch my grandfather to heaven,
An angel God would send.
To have left so unexpectedly,
Like my grandfather did;
Wasn’t very easy for me,
I was only a little kid.
He had been doing better,
He was suppose to go home that day;
We were on our way for a visit,
When he died we were minutes away.
The pain of death was new to me,
And to be strong for everyone I’d try;
A brave little boy until the funeral,
But then crocodile tears I’d cry.
Its been 15 years since that day,
I’ve grown from a boy to a man;
They tell me I look just like him,
I just need darker hair and a tan.
My little brothers and sisters,
Their lives weren't blessed like mine;
To never have known their grandfather,
Not missing him for them though is fine.
But when the time comes that I have kids,
And they have kids of their own;
When I have become a grandfather,
I’ll teach them all I was shown.
And when the time comes that I die,
With grumps, watching them from above;
Will all the memories of me be cherished,
And thoughts of me remembered in love?
Author notes
This poem is written in dedication to my grandfather Kenneth Smith who me and my family affectionatly called grumps. He died january 31st 1993 when I was 10 years old. But still to this day some of my best memories are from when I spent time with my grandparents. The photo is a picture of my grandfather the summer before he died. This poem was written March 28th 2008.
In a list
A contest entry
- In Loving Memory - Vincent Mandile by Once Upon A Mind.
500 points, ended June 28, 13 entries
Honorable winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Grandparents by Animals.
369 points, ended August 30, 11 entries
Bronze trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
Comments
1 - 16 of 16
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This is so beautiful! It is very long, but I'll accept it because I didn't get bored.
Good job -
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Yeah I never intended it to be that long but i started writing and couldnt stop.
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aww
grandfathers are special... mine is the one person who thinks i can do no wrong... great write -
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Oh how little he knows lol
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Awww, oh my, this pretty much just brought tears into my eyes. I got caught up in the imagery in the first couple of lines, and then.... heartbreak! The emotions are so strong, yet your words simply imply them. That creates a really nice effect. What a beautiful poem... (rest in peace) thanks for entering!
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I'm glad you enjoyed it. I really wish I could put into words all that he was too me.
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Oh this is a very sweet, and personal poem
I thank you so much for sharing it in my contest... Some of my favorite memories as well are memories of fishing with grandpa 
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Your welcome. While I couldnt even begin to cover all the great time I had with my grandfather. Most people wouldnt take the time to read it all had I dont that.
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Ah yes...I remember this...I like it :]
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Thank Hannah
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My grandparents are the best, and I have no idea what I'm going to do if or when both of them go.. I know that my heart would be broken.. And though I'll have memories I'll still feel the loss of them.. I really loved the emotion in this write.. You did such a wonderful job showing your love for him..
Thanks for sharing hun..
Angel
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I dont have any of my grandparents left. My grandfathers dies in 81 and 93 and my grandmosthers in 97 and 05.
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Good old Grumps.It is good to hols such wonderful memories.It means that he is still with you now.I know just how you feel because I miss my Grandfather very much.He was so important to my childhood, Ros
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I just wish my siblings and my future children has the chance to know him like i did.
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Awww this is so sweet
and yet so sad!
I love the imagery and the love I can clearly feel
between your grandfather and yourself
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My grandfather was a mentor and my best friend and outside of my parents he has had the largest impact on my life and the type of man that I have become.
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