Monday, May 11, 2009





My sister's wedding was a wonderful celebration of family and friends, unity, and love. The ceremony was everything it should have been - food and drink, music and dancing, laughter and tears, remembering old times and making new memories.

As my sister said, "A Pisces marrying a Pisces on the water...it's a good sign."

Here's to Lolanda and Gerald!
May your wedding vows forever echo over the historic waters of the Potomac and your words of love spin eternally in the eddies of time.

I love you both with all my heart.


I wrote this poem a few years back, as part of my "Sister Poems" series. Lolanda is the youngest of five daughters. I am almost ten years older than she - so, I remember the night she was born. She was born at home. The country doctor had a flat tire on his way to our house to deliver her. His car was left on a bridge that crossed a creek. He and his nurse walked to our house in the dark, during a spring storm. See the water connections again? The name Lolanda is of Native American origin and means "little one".


LOLANDA


where are you
soft round head
with downy nape
solemn face
too young to be so


sea crystals sparkled
on your fingers
you were the first
of your kind to be born


you were careful not
to break your mother’s back
on those smoke filled days
of dark indigo skies


there you are gentle beauty
grown from shadowed halls
where we lived for hours
in blue glass stars


sweetness of innocence
lightness and dew
you traveled with a
companion for the
forbidden fruit
lost in a world that
is forever gone
we found you
there unharmed


a scream in the night
denied by one not much older
claimed my love for all time
and became an imprint
on my spirit forever

26 comments:

the walking man said...

Welcome back...glad you were able to travel safely and return after a good family time. I won't tell stories but (ummmhmmm) wasn't good while you were away.

Karen said...

What a beautiful poem of love for your beautiful little sister! I want to quote lines that are striking, but I'd have to quote nearly the whole poem. These are lovely:

"there you are gentle beauty
grown from shadowed halls
where we lived for hours
in blue glass stars" and

"sea crystals sparkled
on your fingers
you were the first
of your kind to be born"

Our siblings do make an imprint on our spirits, but I doubt that many of us express it in such a loving manner. This almost feels like a prayer.

I'm happy that Lolanda has found happiness. I remember her as such as sweet child - now a woman finding her pisces on the water!

I'd love to see the rest of the sister series.

Glad you're back.

Catherine Vibert said...

K, that is such a beautiful poem, I felt like I was in a cerulean liquid sea of stars when I was reading it. May your sister's marriage be a blessed and happy one. Welcome back!

RachelW said...

Oh, this poem is so beautiful, and chilling! I have goosebumps now.

Aniket Thakkar said...

I am sure you had a great time at the wedding. This was a sweet sweet poem Kaye... your love for your sister flows with each word.

Glad you're back! :)

K.Lawson Gilbert said...

Walking Man, Was it just you...or was everyone misbehaving??? I'll let it go this time. ;P Thanks for the very sweet comments. You're so nice.


Hey, Karen - first of all, I didn't see Ch. or Son - lol...well, it could've happened! We had a glorious time. Thanks for all the nice comments on the poem. Yes, Lokie was a very sweet little girl and is still just as sweet. Thank you. BTW, I have two sister poems posted on OMM - somewhere. Glad to be back. Thanks so much, my friend! ;D


Hi, Cat - Oh, wow...I appreciate that beautiful remark. Thank you for the good wishes. It was such a great weekend! :D


Hi Rachel....Goosebumps are good! lol Many thanks to you!

K.Lawson Gilbert said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
K.Lawson Gilbert said...

Aniket - It was such a great time!!! Thanks for the nice comments...I really do appreciate it so much!

Aniket Thakkar said...

Ha ha! You didn't recognize me at first. :D

I got both the comments. :)

The new name is given by Joaquin. I've been boasting about it in your absence. It sounds cool rite? :)

K.Lawson Gilbert said...

You caught me, my friend...LOL!!

Well, I thought your comment sounded like you "knew" me. So, I thought I had better check. But, alas...it was too late - I had already hit "publish".

BOTH of your names are real cool. But, I have to say.... any name that Joaquin would give - would be the coolest of the cool!

Anonymous said...

What a haunting poem. I hope she tucked that one away forever.

Sounds like all had a beautiful day!

trooping with crows said...

"Solemn face
too young to be so"

What a great description of baby Lolanda! I just know that is how she looked. I really love that line.
Mom, where is the line about the star cut on her forehead? Or is that in "With Faces all the Same"? My favorite line is "you were the first of your kind to be born" That fits Lokie in so many ways. I love all your "sister" poems. Probably because I love all my aunts!

joaquin carvel said...

first - god bless the souls who raised five daughters. whew.

second - what a light this is - full of love and, i think, a quiet awe - it reminds me of the mystery a baby is to an older child - i love that you start with "where are you" and close it with "a scream in the night" - i guess i feel like i am discovering her with you - and it's wonderful.

Julie said...

Welcome back! I'm so glad you had a great time. The ceremony sounds awesome. Lolanda is a beautiful name! I love hearing about the origins of names, especially lovely ones.

The poem is absolutely beautiful, too. And a great tribute of love to a sister. This stanza knocks me out:

"you were careful not
to break your mother’s back
on those smoke filled days
of dark indigo skies".

Fantastic!! The lines and images are so delicate and full of love. Joaquin has a great comment. You show us your sister, so that we can discover her, too. Excellent work!

P.S. - We were all little angels the whole time you were gone. Hee hee...snort! But I am glad you weren't gone for too long. You brighten our days:)

K.Lawson Gilbert said...

Jason - I am sure Lolanda has her copy somewhere near. We did have a wonderful time! Thanks!



Hey Riss - that line is in "With Faces All The Same"...Thanks so much! I guess it is a different perspective when you actually know the person, too. BTW, Lokie did her whole stand up routine about the train to Albuquerque ;) I thought we would get thrown out of the hotel we were laughing so loud and so much!
<3


LOL! Joaquin! I know...right? Dad said when he went past the bathroom and saw that it was vacant - he went in just to stand and look around, because he had forgotten what it looked like inside!
haha - One of us was always in there taking a bubble bath, curling our hair, doing our nails, applying our make-up, etc! It was fun...I miss those times. *sigh*

Thanks what you said about the poem...you are so wonderful.



Julie - It seems like I was back before I knew I had gone! Thanks for the great remarks on the poem. AND...yeah...everybody said they were good, but, you know I have my doubts! ;O Thanks for missing me!!!

Vesper said...

I'm so glad you had a great time, Kaye!

I love what your sister said: "A Pisces marrying a Pisces on the water...it's a good sign."Yes, it must be!

And your poem for Lolanda is wonderful - it is so evident that she claimed your love for all time...

laughingwolf said...

best wishes to your sis and bil, klg!

perfect, heartfelt poem...

K.Lawson Gilbert said...

Hi Vesper, Oh, we did have so much fun! Weddings are so wonderful anyway...but, when family gets together, who are normally spread over four states, that is just special! Thanks for leaving such a nice comment. ;)


Hey, LW - I appreciate that very much! :D

Ed Meers said...

Welcome back!

Here's to all the romantics!

Slainte!

K.Lawson Gilbert said...

Minister, awww, thanks - and here's to your Good Health as well!

Margaret said...

K. I'm a bit late in welcoming you back as, as you know, I was away too! But all the same - Welcome back!

What a lovely poem for your younger sister, Lolanda must be very proud to have you as an older sister.

I can just imagine how "dreamlike" the wedding must have been.
I wish Lolanda & her husband a lifetime of happiness.

K.Lawson Gilbert said...

Margaret - You are so sweet. I appreciate your welcome so much.

It was a beautiful wedding. Thanks for the wishes.

Glad you are back, too. Your poem to your dad was really something special. I am happy that you got to go home for awhile. ;)

Sarah Hina said...

I love the idea of a baby's first wail jump-starting a familial bond of sacred love, which will echo forever.

I'm so glad that the wedding day was as sparkling for Lolanda and Gerald as that first night still swimming in your memory. (though in a completely different way, of course ;))

A beautiful poem that makes me feel misty and warm, K.

K.Lawson Gilbert said...

Sarah - Yes, from that first cry, which at first I thought was a cat meowing, she has been the special "baby" of our family.

Thanks so much for the sweet comments! ;))))) You are one of my very favorite bloggers!

Lynne said...

Lolanda is a beautiful name and equally as lovely a poem showcasing happiness. Congrads to your family! I see the word "land" in it and that reminds me of the strong connection to nature and the earth.

K. I particularly enjoyed the background info and these words of yours in the poem:

"Became an imprint/on my spirit forever." That certainly highlights the bond between you and your sister.

K.Lawson Gilbert said...

Lynne - so happy to see you traveling again! Many thanks for the kind comments. I shall pass your good wishes on to my sister and her husband! Yes, my sisters and I are all very close. :)