Charlie's Moon

There are these small moments in time when a gift comes to us so unexpectedly and yet so unbelievably timely that it's simply worth sharing. As I've said before, words are my grace. When everything goes dark, I fall back on words - notes, emails, letters, texts from family and friends, old birthday and anniversary cards from John, poems, chapters, even sentences, from my favorite novels, and immediately I'm filled with comfort, a memory and ultimately with love. Ellen shared this poem with me this evening that she wrote for Charlie, and while the moment was small and Charlie will surely have no immediate memory of this particular morning, the message, the love, is so deep and rich. It's a different love than John and I can give him, but it's just as important. I want him to hold on to this love forever - know it, own it, feel embraced by it. Lucky for him, through her words he will.

Charlie's Moon

by Ellen Wahlers

Early morning.

Toddler and grandmother climb the stairs,

hand in hand, with determined anticipation.

Reaching the door, noses press to the glass; eyes squinting through dark shadows.

A chirp, a rustle of withered leaves across the porch, and a flickering

of distant lamps.

A click of the lock, he opens and shoves the door wide.

They pause and sigh in unison.

"Newspaper?" he whispers.

"Yes Charlie, forward to the top of the hill."

A sergeant's command.

Together, marching on tiptoes, they climb the driveway.

Necks stretch as eyes gaze upward.....

A burst of giggles, as Charlie coos, "moon,moon,moon."

Reaching top, the two stand

in perfect prayer.....breathing, swaying, smiling.

wishing the moon would speak.

Above, the yellow sphere sits in

its navy blanket of stars, so content

with his night's work.

Dependable. Promising.

The pair relax in moon's certainty.

Rocking cold feet against uneven

concrete, they hesitate, not moving.

An ache moves through her

as she squeezes his warm hand,

and suggests they go.

But Charlie pulls and reaches: chanting,

"moon,moon,moon."

She waits.  Finally offering a newspaper

in exchange for the moon.

A hesitation and a longing glance upward.

Charlie takes the plastic wrapped paper,

holding her hand, he looks back, gazing

with love at the moon.

"Goodbye moon.'

Descending the driveway, she mumbles uncertainties

wrapped within the news, tucked under Charlies arm.

She bends and hugs the boy, whispering, "At least we know

moon will be here tomorrow"

Charlie pauses,

gives one final backward glance, and responds

with a trusting..... "yes."