The Heartfelt Cypress Knee Stump

The Heartfelt Cypress Knee Stump

The sibling are gathered to sort through
their newly deceased father’s
store of prized personal items,
those things he held most dear.

Coming upon a small cypress knee stump
with a polished, rounded top and having
a heart-shaped drawer carved through its center,
the daughter, now in her 50s,
has a spark blaze up deep within her mind.
She vaguely recognizes this cypress stump
as being from a time long ago.
A slip of paper addressed to her is attached.
She reads:

Back when you were only a young teenage girl,
the birthday after your mom and I did part,
since I’d no longer be in your everyday world,
I gave this to tell you you’d remain in my heart.

Being young and not yet polite, you returned
my gift, saying you had no use for a stump.
I’ll admit at the time your reaction burned.
The symbolism for you was too large a jump.

All these long years I kept this old cypress knee,
admiring the hand-crafted heart-shaped drawer.
It soon came to represent just how dear to me
you’d always remain, someone to love evermore.

Every day when I’d look upon this stump’s heart,
I would think of you, daughter, and always smile.
Now that my life is up and I had to depart,
please accept this stump and treasure it for a while.



Please check out my ten books:
http://www.amazon.com/Jr.-Harry-E.-Gilleland/e/B004SVLY02/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0