Diamonds in Our Family Tree

Diamonds in Our Family Tree
by Virginia Knowles

Pink roses on the arbor
Arched over groom and bride
Now seventy-five years later
They’re still smiling side by side.

With love enough for a lifetime
And four generations since then
Stories and laughter are flowing
As we all “remember when…”

So Happy Diamond Anniversary
To Henry and Dorothy Hess
We’re so glad to be your family
Knowing we’re forever blessed.

You are diamonds on our paths
Dazzling in our family tree
What a heritage to treasure
What a loving legacy!

~*~*~

I've been meaning for quite some time to write a poem to give to my grandparents for their 75th anniversary, which is on June 24. I want to read it to them at their party tomorrow, which will be attended by 60 family and friends. But as of early this afternoon, I hadn't penned it yet for two reasons: I had been frantically preparing for my trip up here to Maryland (I arrived yesterday) and I had decided not to write in my usual free verse style. I figure that at their age (94 and 96), they might appreciate a sentimental poem with a traditional rhyme scheme, which is always a stretch for me to write. So I procrastinated. Then I read poet L.L. Barkat's blog post, Make Your Writing Happen, and I thought, "OK, that's it! Time to sit down with a pen and paper in a quiet place and write!" So I did. Then I printed it out with cropped versions of the above photos, and added the page to a notebook of my other poems (linked below) that I had printed out in a large font for them before I left Florida. I will give them the whole book as their present tomorrow. It's a surprise, so no one tell them!

This Is My Song and I Sing
A Mother's Seeds
Do Cry
Over Utah In January (with photographs)
Corpus Christi

Rhapsody in M

My wonderful mother is recreating a beautiful arbor with pink (silk) roses for the party tomorrow. I'll post a link to this weekend's photos sometime soon, but right now it's time for me to go out and join the crowd of relatives in the living room again!

You might also like to see my Hess Family Heritage page that has some of my grandparents' stories and vintage photos on it.

Blessings,

Virginia Knowles