OPENING ACT
For Tara
Floating painlessly above sand dunes,
she picks a star from the heavens,
places it in her hair.
She dances -- arabesques, pirouette, tour jetes.
Crabs click castanets.
Fish swish their tails like bows
on a thousand violins.
Shells clang cymbals,
and sea oats wave batons.
She sees her family sleeping,
throws a kiss across the waves,
understands that the ribbon of love
connecting her heart with theirs
will one day erase tears.
The moon lay down
a golden path on a velvet sea.
To choirs of angels,
applaud of saints,
she dances with joy into eternity.
MOURNING DOVE
For Tara, 1964-2003
A Mourning Dove was my companion.
She strutted and cooed
outside my window.
I fed her crumbs from my morning toast.
She returned in the evening
and a gray mantle enveloped
the distant mountains.
I sustained her. In some ways
I cherished her.
Then I remembered
peacock colors covering the hills,
tinting the trees, the clouds.
I sang again. Thanked my companion
and let her fly away.
Quiet Times
Poems by Estelle Darrow Rice
copyright 2004
Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteMy heart goes out to everyone who loves Estelle on this sad day.
Estelle has a large, loving family, who will miss her so much. Thank you EC.
DeleteThese are beautiful poems. Thank you for sharing them in memory of your friend. She was a poet!
ReplyDeleteEstell had many talents. She played piano, sang, and she painted. But she loved writing. She taught some classes at my home studio and her students remember her with joy, even those who have been gone from our area for years.
ReplyDelete