Monday, December 2, 2013

"Skipping Stones"


Skipping Stones

I remember
fishing beneath the dam,
bass, catfish, pike? …
(they're all the same to me)
practically hurled themselves
onto our hooks.

Perhaps it was
the full moon's magic, perhaps
it was your presence beside me,
hand upon my back - either way,
I never thought fishing
would be so exciting.

I remember
sneaking sideways glances
as you showed me how
to skip rocks, a technique
you hadn't perfected.
We laughed, kept trying.

We never got around
to fishing again, never
stood shoreside beneath moon's
magic glow, touching -
but the easiness, the rightness
of it still lingers…

For over the years
love's the stone that triple skips,
glides, settles softly
beneath our ribs, other times
it plunks, plunges heavily,
leaves a splash upon our cheeks.

We still stand together
upon that bank
almost a quarter century
later "skipping stones"
hopefully continuing to laugh
and sneaking sideways glances.

by Margaret Bednar, December 2, 2013

My dear husband of almost 24 years will be 50 years old this upcoming weekend.  This poem is for him.

I hope all my American blogging friends had a wonderful Thanksgiving!  I was unable to even touch my computer, but am back on "regular" schedule now and am linking up with "Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - Open Link Monday".

I will also be linking up with dVerse - Open Link Night #125 - starting Tuesday afternoon.  

37 comments:

TexWisGirl said...

very sweet. and happy birthday to him. :)

Sumana Roy said...


ooo i love 'sneaking sideways glances'.... lovely skipping stones..
and a very happy birthday to him :)

Sherry Blue Sky said...

Sigh. How lovely...."love's the stone that triple skips". And that you're still standing together on that bank. This poem fills my heart....with the sheer goodness of it.

Brian Miller said...

nice...i love the stone that settles under your ribs...i have some fond memories of learning to skip stones as well....smiles.

Jennifer Wagner said...

Gorgeous work! That 5th stanza is especially exquisite. Happy Bday to your hubby, and hope you all had a wonderful holiday!

Susan said...

Skipping stones! How wonderfully this poem builds and glides through courtship to lasting relationship using this metaphor, water to rib cage and years. Skill is still developing, skipping nothing at all. Bless you and Happy Birthday to your man.

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful sweet poem. I hope you and your dear husband have many more years of happily skipping stones together!

Anonymous said...

Enjoyed. Especially the stanza starting "For over the years / love's the stone that triple skips..."

Happy Birthday to your husband!

Unknown said...

How wonderful!! I love the skipping rocks analogy. Especially the last two stanza's. Thank you for sharing your joy with us and Congrats!!

Susie Clevenger said...

Beautiful Margaret...The fifth stanza really speaks to me..

Anonymous said...

happy birthday to him.

ever heard a frozen lake pinged by a skipping stone? sounds like lasers :)

http://www.wimp.com/coolestsound/

revelations said...

wonderfully romantic...and some past times I enjoy... skipping stones is peacefully hypnotic...

Ella said...

Happy Birthday to your hubby! This is wonderful and so beautiful!
I hope there are many more opportunities to skip stones-
I love your poem!

kaykuala said...

Oh, that's wonderful Marge. Rekindling the happy moments together. I had my spot of fishing and skipping stones before too. I can relate to this. And yes, life's journey together would have their ups and downs but it makes it all the more interesting. Happy birthday to your man and thanks for the memories. Great write!

Hank

Marian said...

oh i love this, Margaret. happy birthday to your old man! xo

Anonymous said...

A nice capturing of a moment. >KB

Mary said...

Oh, I remember when I learned to skip stones. My dad taught me. Still a nice memory....but how wonderful that you skipped stones with the one who was to share your life; and how cool that you are sharing this memory, looking back, as he turns 50!

Gabriella said...

You made me smile with your evocation of fishing and how an activity with the loved one can become much more thrilling than we thought. Happy birthday to your husband!

Anonymous said...

This really touched me. I like how you developed the metaphor into your loving relationship. Precious memories well-expressed.

brudberg said...

Oh I love this.. especially when you use the skipping stone as imagery of fluttering heart of love.. Great poetry here Margeret...

Anonymous said...

Happy birthday to your husband! What a wonderful poem you wrote for him!

Claudia said...

oh wow...i bet he loves it...so cool to write him a poem...and what magic you wove into it...happy birthday to him and congrats on 24 years...that's awesome..

Bubba said...

A wonderful piece for your lucky husband, and a great photo to accompany it! (You know I dig photos)

ayala said...

A sweet poem for your husband.

Kathy Reed said...

I'm sure he will treasure it! I like how you glanced sideways at him, watching how he did it and congratulations on a solid marriage and your many years togeether ;)

Cressida de Nova said...

Your right...fishing isn't that exciting...it was the hand:)

Truedessa said...

This is a lovely gift to your husband..skipping stones can be
fun..this line is so heartfelt..

"love's the stone that triple skips"

Anonymous said...

a lovely poem that captures the beauty of fishing that is in the shared time between the movement

Ginny Brannan said...

This is beautiful, don't know what else I can say. A perfect excerpt of love tempered by time. Brought tears. Lovely piece, my friend!

Anonymous said...

Margaret, "Love's the stone that triple skips." Right there, I can tell your marriage is wonderful. Happy birthday to your husband, and remember, 50 is just a number. Life gets better and better... Peace, Amy

Unknown said...

beautiful write... hope your hubby has a lovely bday and you both enjoy it :)

Anonymous said...

This is lovely - but did he really take you fishing? He's a really lucky man, in more ways than one! Happy birthday to him.

Tony

Sarav said...

Margaret, what a wonderful start and beautiful love poem:-) I love skipping stones, my dad taught me and then he taught my boys, so you had me at the title :-) Happy Birthday to your husband

mrs mediocrity said...

This is just lovely, I especially love the 5th stanza... a beautiful piece.

humbird said...

Love skipping stones! Know how to do it! Enjoyed your play with words 'skipping stones'.Happy Birthday to your husband! :)xx

Mystic_Mom said...

Stunning photo, I envy those who can skip stones! :-) I do love to fish. But this, this is more than stone skipping and fishing - this is a love poem. Sweet and well crafted!

Pealogic said...

Just a gorgeous tribute.
I'm sure he loved it.