The Birthday Candle Poem by Karin Elizabeth Martin

Good morning early birds
Singing in the darkness
I cannot see you but I can hear your songs
Bringing back thoughts and memories
Mom always loved to hear you sing
and tell me of your beautiful colors
Hello dawn, not yet stretching your sunny light
over the silent mountains
I know you are coming soon
I've had many commentaries of your beauty
Mom loved to see you peeking and rising as if just for her
as she sat waiting for you on the front porch,
coffee in one hand, probably tears in both eyes
to see you another day
Good day sunshine, how warm you feel on my old and sore body,
Mom told me how you could heal her and make her spirits strong
You are what gave her strength to carry on
Welcome blossoms buds and blooms
Mom chose each of you daily and placed a small sprig of you
In a small crystal vase or old cracked coffee cup
on the kitchen table every day, to admire your beauty
or maybe just as a reminder that there was always new life
Oh dear evening, dusk and there goes the rays
Sun setting now over yet another mountain,
Mom always shared your colors and vivid radiance
She breathlessly awaited your ability to fade
There was another morning tomorrow.
When tomorrow did not come, I lit a candle,
I burned it day and night, set in a window,
Hoping you could see it and find peace
Mom I know that as you are watching, you are busy,
Listening, looking, and hopefully smiling
It will be your birthday tomorrow but there will be no candles
There will be singing birds, sunshine and sunset,
Mom, I share each one with you and give these memories
I will give them to you as a present
While I sit and recall your words
and feel the warmth of the new day on my skin