~ Delta Poetry Review ~
Your Portrait
for Nana (August 6, 1922-September 27, 2002)
I keep your portrait on the
window sill
because you always let the light in.
For years I’ve tried to write these words,
gift you in a poem, and comfort you
as you did for me each time you smiled—
I hope these words are enough
to remind you of my love.
For a long time, I thought words were all
I had—the language of missing something.
Enough to fill a book, the ink would run
over the pages turned, reminders
of your existence. There are books to be
read, appreciated, shared—a gift providing
something I lost along the way: Faith
in people, something greater, then
myself. I open my memory palace
door—I see you offering openness
for change. I give you a penny, some dirt,
and a smile. You always chose the smile.
Son to Mother
One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began…
— Mary Oliver, “The Journey”
I blame you for making me
feel the power of words, their gift
provides opportunities—taking me
to worlds resulting from the sculpting of words.
As a child, you read to me, encouraging
my love of language—reminding me
that bad days exist, even in Australia.
Reminding me when the wild rumpus starts.
Like a lucky coin, I’m keeping these memories
in my pocket. Next to the lint, they are safe,
guiding me forward, keeping my path straight.
Sometimes all you have to do is be your best
self. For one minute. Then, keep going.
Definition of Home, Part Two
It used to be always night
here.
The sun was tired—of rising,
of setting. There was horizon,
which is another word for hope.
Falling apart, there was a red shed,
filled with memory, collapsing from
the inside. Pine needles ruined
the haystacks. I saw a horse run
in the distance. I saw a yellow moon in the sky.
I used to believe there were galaxies
in my pockets at one time.
Stephen Furlong received his M.A. in Professional Writing from Southeast Missouri State University. He is the author of the chapbook What Loss Taught Me, which was published by Nostrovia! Press in Fall 2018. His poems, interviews, and book reviews have appeared in Louisiana Literature, Glass: A Journal of Poetry, and Yes, Poetry, among others. He currently serves as a Staff Reviewer for LitStyle, a subset of the literary journal Five:2:One. He can be found on Twitter @StephenJFurlong.
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