Textual Lineage #1

Thursday, May 24, 2012

"As High as the Cooing Dove"  by Matthew Epperly

No one on earth can fly, as high as the cooing dove,

Next to the blazing sun, close to the ones you love.

The bright sky above, the earth is its foe,

Blue all alighting, green down below.

Its wings are glowing, from the heavenly light,

Flying next the sun, although it is fiery and bright.

Slowly it falls, it slowly descends, 

Here our flight, so mournfully ends.

When I was in undergraduate school, I had was studying poetry in my Literature class.  My son, who was in fifth grade at the time, was sitting at the table with me while I was working, and he was asking me questions about what I was doing.  Some time passed when he asked if he could please use my laptop.  He carried it over to the sofa and began working quietly.  He asked me how to spell alighting and mournfully.  My curiosity peeked and I asked him what he was doing, and he nonchalantly told me that he was writing a poem, and proceeded to tell me that I couldn't read it until it was finished. 

When I finally got to read the finished product, I was amazed at what I read.  To me, it was the most beautiful piece of writing that I had ever read.  We printed it off and sent a copy to his grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, and uncles.  His great-grandfather agreed that it was a piece of art, framed it, and hung it on his wall.  He passed away on May 22, 2009 and the poem was read during his funeral service.  I will never forget it, and neither will my Matt.