A Tribute to George

It has been a tough 3 years for my son and daughter-in-law.  Each one of them had their father diagnosed with a terminal illness, and each one of them had to say goodbye.  Most recently, my daughter-in-law lost her father to pancreatic cancer after a 2 1/2 year battle.  In her foresight, she asked everyone who knew her father to provide a video of encouragement during his last week in Hospice Care.  She was able to share with him how much people meant to him, and he had a "living memorial" that week along with an outpouring of visitors. Upon receiving her request, I decided to write a poem in honor of George.  I am so glad she was willing to read this to him:

This One’s for You

Like your favorite song playing on the old jukebox,

This one’s for you, George,

Or a long-awaited package at your doorstep,

It is for you, George,

A toast with glasses raised high into the air,

Also, the toast is to you, George,

It’s a tribute to you, a remembrance of you,

This one IS for you, George,

To know you is to love you,

And that’s a big statement to make,

You’ve had courage and resilience through pain and heartache,

You have fought and fought and will never give up,

That is the strength you’ve passed to the rest of us,

This one’s for you, George,

This poem is for you,

I hope it will encourage you to have hope anew,

“Therefore we do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”  2 Cor 4:16-18

Tammy Harvey

2/27/2020

George Andrew Matroni

Nov 6, 1961- March 6, 2020

Officer Harvey, One, One

On Patrol

As I turned onto their street, I could see the little guy,

He was in the front lawn, all dressed up, and was not a bit shy,

He was “directing traffic” as any good police officer would do,

Wearing a policeman hat, with a whistle in his mouth, just like he knew,

Yelling “slow down” and waving his arms as he saw me approach,

A “radar gun” pointed right at my car, with resounding reproach,

He directed me into the driveway, his little hands bending at the wrists,

Then he looked at me with a tilted head and said something like this:

“Gigi, you were going a yittle bit too fast”, holding his tiny fingers apart,

“Slow down next time or you’ll get a ticket”, (This child is pretty smart!)

“I’m directing traffic, Gigg.  Would you like to come and help me?”

“I’m Police Officer One, One.  Who would you like to be?”

As he spoke, another car came driving by the house,

He turned and ran that way, like a scurrying little mouse,

He waved and blew his whistle, “stop”, he was demanding,

The drivers only smiled and waved in the direction he was standing,

He shook his head and looked at me; I could see the disappointment,

“They are going much too fast!” They must be late to an appointment,

The sun was shining and it was a lovely winter’s day,

Not too cold and not too hot, as he continued to play,

Police Officer One, One, was on a mission to serve and protect,

His imagination was exploding, as he kept the vehicles in check,

I don’t want to forget these times, they are so very precious, you see,

When my 3-year-old grandson, gave a traffic warning to me!

Tammy Harvey

Written:  2/17/2020

What's your number?

This is my 313^th poem on the blog….

313

Three hundred and thirteen is an unusual amount,

Trinity, individual, trinity- what’s that all about?

It is comparable to the best sandwich cookie to be found,

Individually placed between the trinity, safe and sound,

Me, myself and I nestled between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

You think I’m crazy?  I know, I can feel it,

Numbers are relevant, at least I think so,

Numbers don’t stop, they continue to grow,

Infinity times infinity, goes on forever,

Like eternity, now I’m sounding quite clever,

No really, I think numbers have a lot to say,

I like to study them in a peculiar way,

Like my Birthday 1-22-60:   1+2=3 and 3x2=6,

It’s a lovely mix,

Or my Anniversary 5-25-85:   5x2=10 and 10-2=8, 10-5=5,

It’s not hard to contrive,

Call me crazy, I don’t care,

Three’s and one’s are a lovely pair!

Tammy Harvey

Written:  2/1/2020

Today’s date:  2x1=2 and 2+0=2

Read the Sign

Pineapples have long been a symbol of hospitality in the South, but  here is a new perspective on the tropical fruit.

Be a Pineapple

“Be a Pineapple

Stand Tall

Wear a Crown

Be sweet on the inside”

I recently saw this saying on a plaque at a store,

I wanted to remember it because I think it says much more,

More goodness is packed into those four small statements,

Than in a lecture or speech with philosophical basis,

“Stand tall”- a posture that exudes confidence and self-esteem,

Encouragement to be brave and to achieve your dream,

“Wear a Crown”- a sign that you are royalty, in God’s eyes,

A humble servant of God, yet a crown of glory is the prize,

“Be sweet on the inside”- have a soft heart, tender and kind,

The sweetness inside will far surpass the calloused rind,

A tough exterior is needed to endure this harsh fallen world,

But bear sweet fruit and your witness is unfurled,

Like a flag flying high on the tall pole in a swift breeze,

These four statements above will put a timid heart at ease,

Take note of the signs you read every day,

Sometimes they have a lot more to say!

Written:  2/01/2020

Tammy Harvey

And Another Thing

Maxine

Maxine, the comic strip character, is a favorite of mine,

She is so sarcastic that it is almost a crime,

She tells it like it is and I like it that way,

You never know what she is going to say,

She pokes fun at herself, which is always refreshing,

Her dog’s face shows utter embarrassment, I’m guessing,

She is so relatable and just shy of rude,

But her grumpy demeanor puts me in a good mood,

She is crabby and crass, with a bit of charm,

She has her opinion and it does no one harm,

“Everyone is entitled to my opinion”, she barks,

Just one of many of her insightful remarks,

She will make no excuses for being herself,

Maxine is not ready to be put on a shelf,

She’s got a lot of life left in her to share,

A sassy senior with cool-looking hair,

Her flashy sunglasses & adorable hats- I’m liking a lot,

Her exercise routine consists of doing “diddly squats”,

She says: “I’m not crabby, the world is extremely irritating”,

Of course, growing old is certainly debilitating!

But Maxine brings a flavor that never gets old,

She is a favorite because she is rowdy and bold.

Tammy Harvey

Written:  1/23/2020