My father, asleep in an armchair,
breathing in Chopin,
his head resting
on two fingertips.
Silver grey hair,
and a face
gathering thoughts,
before he wakes.
© Shaista Tayabali, 2018
A recent photograph of me and the Chopin listener (taken by our friend Sue Fox), and also one of Mum’s earliest portraits of Dad... ‘a very quick oil sketch’ is how she describes it... the most talented artists are sometimes the most humble! I love her use of blue, don't you?
(For a Dverse Poets Open Link night)
Love your poem! And your mom's portrait is so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteA wonderful poem for your father. I loved the line about breathing in Chopin!
ReplyDeleteYou mother is a great painter!
Wonderful poem, wonderful portrait!
ReplyDeleteI like the blue in the eye and hair of the painting. Nice description of your father.
ReplyDeleteTwo beautiful portraits, one in paint and one in words. I love the fine detail of your father 'breathing in Chopin,
ReplyDeletehis head resting
on two fingertips'
and that he is
'gathering thoughts,
before he wakes'.
Lovely piece, tender love...:-)
ReplyDelete...rob from Image & Verse
Lost in Azure
Ah, the moment thus captured is wonderful — it paints the character and personality so well in a few lines. And it's a lovely portrait. :-)
ReplyDeleteAll 3 (poem, photo, and portrait) are lovely.
ReplyDeleteI love the tranquility in this... i think anyone who can listen to Chopin like that has to be a good person.
ReplyDelete"Gathering thoughts before he wakes." Brilliant, funny, tender, clever, and probably absolutely accurate. wonderful portraits. I feel like I have a new friend, he sounds like a wonderful man. I love how you have caught a part of his soul in our new fangled poetry device. :)
ReplyDeleteI can feel the love for your father in your words.
ReplyDeleteAnd your mother's portrait of him is fantastic.