The Wednesday Letters

I just joined a new book group last month and our first book to read together is The Wednesday Letters. Its a lovely tale of a couple that die in each others arms and their children discover hundreds of love letters from their Father to their Mother. Turns out that their father has written their mother ever Wednesday since they were married. These Christmas poems were supposed to be part of what the adult children discover but they were too good to keep to myself so I share them with you.

Sammie and Her Coat of Many Colors

For my daughter, Samantha

on our first Christmas together, 1958

I'd buy you a coat of your own,

but there is no cloth beautiful enough

to knit what you deserve

and no wealth to afford it.

I'd buy you a coat of your own,

but there are not enough colors in this world

to match your spirit

and no rainbow bright enough.

I'll buy you a coat of your own

in heaven.

The Fifth Season

For my wife, Laurel

on our tenth Christmas together, 1958

With each spring comes new life,

energy and green growth.

In summer comes the sun, warm, kind,

and enduring.

Fall brings its canvas of color in careful,

gentle change.

Winter brews into faithful strength,

beauty in pure white.

And then comes you.

You are all that Nature offers,

a blessing, a gift from Father.

You are the fifth season.

The Answer

For my son Matthew

on our eighth Christmas together, 1958

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

From within his sterling smile the order sometimes changes.

But the answer never does.

"A doctor, a policeman, a Chicago Cub, a TV man,

and a man. Can I?"

From Dad's slowly wrinkling smile the wording sometimes changes,

But the answer never does.

"You can."

The Dream

For my son, Malcom

on our fourth Christmas together, 1958

Each night in a dream

a wrinkled old man of philosophy

whispers in my ear,

"The perfect ones can be taken home early."

Each morning the new dawn

opens my sleepy, worn eyes

and sweeps me down a long hallway toward a small bed,

There's a boy in it.

He is my son.

And though I am only tending him,

I pray He will let us keep the boy another day.

My favorites are the ones to Laurel and Malcom but they are all good. I'm not quite done but so far this book gets two thumbs up.