Loveday Writing

I’ve spent days reflecting on Joanna’s life over and over, trying to think of what to write for her eulogy.

How do you sum up a whole, prematurely-cut-short life into one speech? This would be my final chance to say goodbye to her, it had to be perfect. It’s kind of hard to write a perfect eulogy when you’re breaking down every five minutes.

I decided a poem to celebrate both her life and the joy she’s brought to our family’s lives was the best way to go. Some people may not like the last couple of verses, but I’m not censoring my grief, this is the only way.

Goodbye, my sweet sweet girl.

 

***

Little Twig

The day our daughter was born–

we suddenly weren’t kids anymore,

our carefree teenage lives gone.

The day our daughter was born–

our lives changed forever

but we didn’t end up staying together.

 

The day our daughter was born–

we didn’t realise our divorce

would only be the beginning of our lives,

we would go on to find

another husband, another wife,

we would go on to have another child,

or two, or three.

We didn’t realise this was what was meant to be.

 

The day our daughter was born–

we didn’t know what to expect,

what life would throw at us,

what kind of daughter we’d get.

Little did we know,

we’d raise a fine young lady,

unafraid to face the world and live her life,

that at nineteen she’d become a wife

and have her own daughter at twenty-nine!

Little did we know,

she’d find her calling, build a successful career

and it would be the one thing,

that would take her away from us,

the one thing we hold so dear.

 

A stunt gone wrong,

she wasn’t given very long.

Not long to hold her hand

or stroke her hair,

only long enough for us to scream

‘life’s not fair,

take us not her!’

We’ll never believe

she’s really gone.

 

The day our daughter was born–

we never knew

we’d only get thirty-four years together.

 

The day our daughter was born…