Joseph’s List
In memory of Joseph Patrick Falk 1956-87
Here it is
With those long, looping letters
R
U
N
N
I
N
G
Down the page and
Over
The other side.
Testimony to times spent
Reading the hours away.
Doorways into homes from
Other eras and vistas.
Witness also to
A brother’s love
For a brother.
Gathered at the kitchen table
Blessed interruption
To “homework time”
Two pens it took him yet
Finish it he did.
Sharing his joys
Of narrative and verse
With his younger sibling.
Now, he is gone.
Many years have past
Since he penned that page.
Fifteen I was
When he was tragically taken.
Yet his words remain
Penned on a page
Cherished by me
Among the true treasures
Of words and life.
I look upon that list,
That you prepared that day.
At times as my gaze sits,
Tears get in the way.
If only you were still here,
To read these faltering lines.
Knowing what a gift you gave,
When we had those times.
I still cherish some of those authors,
That you revealed to me.
As you showed love for brothers,
In a way so literary.
This was posted as part of the Cherished Blogfest 2016. To see my post from last year look here.
Simon C.J. Falk 29 July 2016
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Simon's still stanza 
This is beautiful! I can’t imagine such a loss as you describe, and I can understand why you cherish these words. I’m not sure how I missed your post last year. I think I would have been drawn to a post about bookshelves.
Thanks you for participating in the cherished Blogfest – Dan – Cohost – #CBF16
Dan, thanks go to you for being one of the people who give us this blogfest. Earlier in the day I had read Damyanti’s post. It challenged me to also dig deep and share personally. By the way, I still love those bookshelves too!
I’m so glad people enjoy sharing these stories. Gotta love bookshelves 🙂
Wow – that’s a fantastic tribute to your brother! What a great memory to have of him.
Thank you. It is one of the best memories. He would often check on my English homework when he came in from his work. They were precious moments.
I have one brother that I love very much, so I know how much I would treasure something like this if he were no longer with us. Appropriately enough, we often talk about books and share insights into some of our favorite volumes and authors. A very nice post — thanks for sharing.
Thank you. I’m glad it struck a chord with you. Brothers can indeed be special. We had another who was stillborn. We would have loved to have met him properly.
Very touching and well written
Thank you. It was also touching to write.
What a wonderful post about a beloved brother. He would be proud. 🙂
Many thanks for your kind words.
This is such a special post. I cannot imagine having something like this any other way than handwritten. My mother has been gone over 25 years now, but I still keep the recipes she wrote out in her own handwriting. Cherish this, indeed.
Thank you. I do cherish it. Glad your mother left you some handwritten recipes.
You paid a wonderful tribute to your brother with your own words. I’m sorry you lost him at such a young age. I can understand why you cherish his handwriting so deeply. Thanks for sharing your heartfelt post.
Mary J
CBF Cohost
Mary, Thanks for all your work for Cherish Blogfest too!Losing Joseph has a deep loss for our family. But he is remembered with great fondness.
Beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for enjoying.
That’s such a heartfelt and poignant tribute to your brother! He will be smiling at you from wherever he is!
Thanks. He did have a very lovely smile too.
A very beautiful sentiment to a cherished brother. The loss still feels acute in your words.
Yes, thanks Joan. You are right. We have gotten better at dealing with his loss.
That is such a wonderful and powerful poem. Your brother still lives within you, he is a permanent part of you, which is so beautiful. This expression of love does not take away the pain, but cherishes great memories and precious moments shared. Thanks for posting it!
Liesbet @ Roaming About
How precious is our time with those we love. I am so sorry for the loss of your brother but what a true gift his influence was. I understand the depth of how much you cherish this object. Thank you so much for joining the blogfest again this year. And thank you for stopping by my blog. I am still trying to read all the entries. Hugs. Cheryl
I too am still trying to read all the entries. But I’m sure glad I have. The mutual enrichment of the blogfest is itself something to cherish.
That is most certainly true!
A touching post and a beautiful tribute to your brother.
Yvonne V
Thank you
Very touching, and what a great collection of writers!
Thanks. Yes, I’ve enjoyed a good number of them. Cherished some and learnt from some too.
WOW. What a cherished item, I would definitely cling to those pieces of paper no matter where life took me. Such a treasure, especially juxtaposed with your own love for words which were obviously sparked many years ago by him.
They are truly precious pages.
What a wonderful gift from your brother – both the list of truly great authors, and the love that went in to creating it for you.
Thank you. So well said. You are right on both accounts.