Thursday, August 16, 2012

Games People Play

Poetry Jam
Games

In the past weeks I have been busy with grandchildren, children, and my mom. Four generations here and there to care for and give love. I spent any extra time watching the Olympics. I had been thinking what made me love watching the wonderful athletes triumph over their challenges of time and work-outs and life in general. Even surprised as childhood hula-hoops, balls, and beach games have come so far as to be added to the venues of THE games. When the prompt for Poetry Jam  "games"  I will have to see where my mind can go with this thought. We watched the Olympics as a family for as long as I can remember.


Games People Play

Board games and card games and word games
with
family and friends.
That was just how the week would end!
Face to face and smile to smile
with
joy and love all the while!

Even when “you can't pass go”
and
Dad would gets all the high cards you know!
Smiles were the gold we had to show.

Scoot on a scooter, move the hula-hoop,
walk the log and make the kite do a loop-d-loop.
Threw the frizby and kick the ball,
bike, swim and dive, skate and ski,
we did it all.
But...
not to be perfect or to compete,
or
to be best and win the meet.

Dad was a coach, so we just had to try.
To run and jump and reach for the sky.

Mom was the coach to climb the trees,
to smell the flowers and watch for bees.
To travel the road less traveled by and
watch the birds soar in the sky.

We were never pushed to perfection
but
quieting was something you didn't mention.
Sports or school or any dream
I don't remember being told “No” or “don't do it” or “you are to slow”

Fun with family,
eye to eye,
smiling as the years went by.
I don't now miss a reward in my hand,
for
time is so precious and that is my gold,
the kind that my mind can really hold!

6 comments:

  1. I love the way you described your family times. Both indoor fun and outdoor active fun. A very nice share!

    (I had to change your Mr. Linky link in PJ. The one you put in led nowhere. If you aren't sure about a link, it is good sometimes to test it out yourself before linking it.)

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  2. ... memories light the corners of our minds.

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  3. I like the descriptions here. This could be several poems.

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  4. it is nice to have an encouraging family like that....never told you cant...and good balance as well of sports, nature and adventure....

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  5. "To run and jump and reach for the sky." Invaluable life lessons, and the gold truly are the memories you hold in your heart. Life has been busy with those multiple generations you are juggling, but I'm sure your wisdom and generosity are gold to them :)

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  6. Sounds like a wonderful way to spend time with family! Card games seemed to be the preferred choice with our family, although the word games were my favorites. Thanks so much for sharing this with us at Poetry Jam this week!

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