Tag: generations

Changing reflections

Ian HunterLeave a comment
Photo by Tobi on Pexels.com

He looked over the side of the boat

Catching his reflection on the surface of the lake

He saw the face of a young boy

He put his hand in the water to break the image

Many years later on the same lake

Hanging over the side catching his reflection

He saw the face of a fine young man

He put his hand in the water to break the image

Many years later on the same lake

Hanging over the side catching his reflection

He saw the face of a father and his young son

He put his hand in the water to break the image

Many years later on the same lake

Hanging over the side catching his reflection

He saw the face of a older man with his grandson

He put his hand in the water to break the image

Many years later on the same lake

Hanging over the side catching his reflection

He saw the face of an elderly man

He put his hand in the water to break the image

As his hand touched the water

Another hand reached up to grasp his

Pulling him into the lake

He sank into the murky depths

The boat went out over the lake

A man and his son threw flowers into the water

The young boy leaned over the side

I miss you grandpa he whispered

Many years later on the same lake

Hanging over the side to catch his reflection

The young man saw the face of his grandfather saying

I will always be with you

Never break the cycle

Ian Hunter1 Comment

William was walking down the beach with his father

Palm trees lined the edge of the shore

The boy picked up a fallen coconut 

What shall we do with it Dad he asked

I think you should bury it said his father

Then come back when the tree has grown

William dug a hole in the sand and planted the coconut

Remember where you put it said his father

William returned to that beach thirty years later

His own son by his side this time

William told his son the story of the coconut

His son was excited to look for the tree

Eventually they stopped and Willam said its here

There was a fallen coconut under the tree

His son picked it up asking his dad if they should plant it

Oh no John said his dad, we will take it home and eat it

I have been waiting a long time to taste it

Suddenly a barrage of coconuts fell down from the tree

One struck William on the head knocking him out

John ran all the way home clutching the coconut

He raised the alarm but his father was found dead

John watched the coffin being put in the ground

He joined the line of people throwing dirt in the hole

Then he paused and thew the coconut onto the coffin

Vowing to return in thirty years

the leaf in a notebook

Ian Hunter2 Comments

the leaf was deep orange in color

one of many in a magnificent display

signaling the end of summer

the leaf clung on as long as it could

drained of nutrients

no longer fed by the tree

its days of photosynthesis were over

a strong gust of wind rattled the tree

the leaf detached from the branch

no longer part of the tree

it was a free agent

gently floating in the breeze

falling softly to the forrest floor

joining the thick carpet of discarded leaves

awaiting the arrival of microbes and fungi 

decomposition was its lonely fate

a young girl walked through the forrest

she picked up the leaf and took it home

placed it between the pages of a note book

she wrote the date and place where it came from

the notebook was put away and forgotten about

many years later the little girl was a grown woman

she came across her notebook

with the preserved leaf

smiling at the note she had written

she went out in search of the tree

matching the leaf shape

she stood next to the tree

whispering thank you 

for the happy memories you gave me

the leaf went back into the notebook

a few years later she took her daughter to see the tree

she gave her the notebook and leaf

suggesting she visit the tree from time to time

to reflect on all the memories she had collected

many years passed and the tree stood proud

the leaves on the tree were all a bright golden color

a young girl walked through the forrest with her mother

opening the notebook next to the tree

the mother handed the notebook to her daughter

explaining that her great grandmother first found this leaf

the tree looked down and smiled