The Grandfather I Never Knew

To the grandfather I never knew

A merchant marine in World War Two

I watched my mother crying today

The photo in her hand showed your brave face

She told me how you loved the sea

And I thought about the part of you in me

She says you were a hero too

From 1916 to 1992

I pray for the day that we meet

To know the man in the photos I see

Handsome and strong

Clever and true

My grandmother must be happy

To share heaven with you

Nikolai Haugland

“The Lord leads me beside quiet waters and restores my soul.”

January 9th, 1916-February 18th, 1992

Beloved husband of Borghild and father to Nils, John, Anne, Linda and Nancy

You are truly loved and missed always <3

“God is our shelter and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble, so we will not be afraid.” 

Psalm 46

Dad

Someday I’ll look toward the stars

and ask you how you are

I’ll tell you all about my day

no matter where you are

And then I’ll say, “I love you dad”

and send a kiss to you

Just like always

Just like when

you stand in the doorway of my room

Because I’ll always be your little girl

no matter where I go

And you’ll always be the best man in my life

It just happens to be so

So often do I think of you

when the Leafs are on T.V.

When I see the playhouse that you built

just for Kristy and me

I think of you when I hear Johnny Cash

and every time that there’s a storm

Because I remember the night I heard the thunder roll in

with my dad out on the porch

I like to think I have your smile

Because it’s the best I’ve ever seen

You told me to always keep a sense of humor in this world

So I always keep a piece of you with me

My dad and I

Photo taken by Kristy DeFehr

Photo edited at Picmonkey.com

This Tree

This tree

Has imperfections

So deep

So secret

So unkind

That none can see them

Except me

I feel the words when they cut deeper

I feel the bitter tensions

Of previous wars

Wars not of hatred

But of love

Concealed here

In this tree

I love them

The makers

The givers

And the fakers

I love them despite all the costs

Within me

Within this madness of mine

And is it wrong

To blame them?

For I have eyes of my own

But isn’t it truth

That without them

I may have seen a different poem?

I wouldn’t have any other tree

It’s just that this one

It has left

Its permanent marks on me

Not all bad

It’s true that its roots are built

Of love

There’s laughter here

And forgiveness

There’s loyalty

And so much life

But this tree also nests

In a strong case of denial

And none can reach me here

For its branches don’t bend

But snap under pressure

And winds only shake its many limbs

But nothing can break this tree

Nothing can bring it down

From its heights

Of proudly blind imperfections

Something About Someone Somewhere

She’s a collection

Of flesh, blood and bones

Assembled in the form of the human body

Garnished in an assortment of rare clothes

Oh, she’s a creature of some sort

That much cannot be denied

For she’s certainly breathing

And I see the light in her eyes

But something is strange

Within the depths of her being

And on the surface it shines

Unashamed, always seeing

Alien

I swear she must be

For the alien in her

Has greeted the alien in me

What a splendid reunion

What a horrific scene

For when the planet we exist on

Meets the end of all that’s green

I’ll chortle with my alien

And she’ll be laughing at me

Kristy Lyn

People come and people go but sisters are forever

She’s a warm, safe place

When everywhere else feels cold

She’s a smile when it’s sunny

And a happy giggle when it snows

She’s laughing her very hardest

Even at my dumbest jokes

And she’s grumpy when I’m singing along

To lyrics I don’t really know

She was my favourite playmate when I was small

And is a shoulder to lean on as I grow older

She’s “anything is possible”

But just realistic enough to really know her

She’s hanging ornaments on the tree at Christmas

While I sit and watch T.V.

And she’s waiting for the perfect part of a movie

When she knows that she can scare me

She’s smores around the camp fire

And a picnic on a field

She’s cookies and ice cream

When that’s the way we feel

I trust her with everything

And she knows me outside in

She’s the keeper of a part of my heart

That she never had to win

She’s simply irreplaceable

She’s my sister, Kristy Lyn

Sister

Friendships will blossom like flowers

With petals of honest gold

And friend I don’t have to tell you

All ours has to hold

Our friendship started the day I was born

Growing steadier with every hour

It’s ripened like the sweetest of fruits

In the light that all the years have showered

Every day I hold this gift

Not like a box upon my hand

But I hold it deep within me

And it makes me a thousand times more grand

And a thousand times I’ll say again

How much you mean to me

You are more than just a hand to hold

You are all that a friend should be

So darling sister what I must tell you

Is that this will never fade

Because a piece of you is always with me

No matter what comes with the days

And no matter what comes with the nights

Because stars, I know they sparkle

But nothing shines quite so brightly

Nothing shines quite as brightly as you, sister

Like The Ocean

My photography as well.

Photo edited at picnik.com