How Faint And Elusive Poem by Glen Kappy
How Faint And Elusive
from 'Remembering Kappy'
How faint and elusive
is a breath
The eyes
that had been yours
fluttered
The open mouth—
with bridges gone
dried blood inside—
took in air—
needing two pulls in
to pass the throat obstruction
And then...
And then...
The eyes scrunched down
as in a newborn
about to cry—
but then relaxed
The hands
that had been yours—
that had been
frail and cold and active—
were still
How faint and elusive
is a breath
I remembered, Dad
our first cat
how we found him
in our backyard—
his mouth too
was open
I remembered
a cicada shell
I love you, Dad
A poignant write that touches the heart deeply.Though we know that we all have to die someday, still the passing away of someone close is really painful to see. Your poem expresses the feel of that pain so powerfully.The' breath' that was present a moment before is gone for ever, not to return.The body that was so full of life becomes motionless after thatbreath is gone.Thanks for sharing this wonderful poem.
you're welcome, and thank you, bharati, for reading and sensitively commenting on it. it was painful, though not till i tried and nearly failed to speak to the nurses to tell them i thought my father had passed, did i realize how much so. i tend to get stoic in hardship, but then in moments like this, the emotion breaks out in sobs. -glen
What an amazing moment- a sacred moment - the context itself is so wonderful - you were singing religious songs to him when he slipped into the next world without pain. Your poem made me your loss and worry about his possible fear or pain, neuitherniof which seeed to be present. But only after those thoughts of others did I realize, Wake up, Daniel. This is your fate too.
thank you, daniel for your characteristic sensitive comment. i just remembered that i did not know my dad's passing was as imminent as it turned out to be. i was with him until he was to be moved from the hospital to hospice care when this took place. my identical twin brother, who had been with me and who lived close by, had gone home for a bit and was going to return shortly. i felt prompted to sing, so i did. and since my dad was from jewish background, i sung the few psalms (in english) that i knew with jewish melodies. -glen
Oh Glen this brought tears to my eyes. I read it a few times phew! ! ! ! ! Wish it were poem of the day. So so deeply touching. I love the line How faint and elusive is a breath Simply beautiful it says so much about your Beloved Dad and your relationship.
Thank you, Norah. Your response touches me. I leaned close to see if I could feel breath. Then I went to the nurses' station to tell them I think my dad had passed, and I could barely get it out between my sobs. (I tend usually to hold back and tough things out.) Again, thank you for your sensitive and appreciative reading. -Glen
Very touchng, Glen. Brave of you to put these thoughts and feelings into a poem. It reminds me of my own dad...
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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5/9/2024 8:22:23 AM # 1.0.0.1119
Here you describe the last moments of your Dad when death was a breath away! As you have commented on my poem Drop of a Feather, we both sometimes seem to think on the same lines.... and on the same topics! In my poem I remember the last hours of my mother and you- the final moments of your Dad... that's all the difference! We seem to have some primordial connections! Strange! A touching write, Glen!
Thank you for reading this poem, Valsa, and for your comments. It is strange and marvelous, yes? , that people so far apart in distance can share things so close to our hearts. -Glen