Tonight, I cooked a pumpkin

One of those planted in the ditch of his retirement village a few months back

A twinkle in his eye when he told us

Contraband in placement, collaboration with the man that cuts the grass

~~~~

I curried it and fed it to his son, my husband

The one that looks like him

And carries his form in character

A man of high standards for himself, and a heart that gives—but a ‘character’ all the same

When that twinkle in the eye unanticipated comes

~~~~

“Just give it a go,” he told his kids, and they all did

Achieving much in life in the ways that make meaning–and joy!

Lavishness in legacy

~~~~

A lot can happen in a few short months

The gardener, now asleep

Someone else harvests the crops

But the many things that he grew live on

And on

~~~~

–in honour of the veteran that we always think of most on Anzac Day, my father-in-law, a WWII bomber pilot, written shortly after he left us in 2021.

©Heather Pound 2021