Words for Nadia

Words have wings,

Homer said,

And Maya Angelou reminds me

that people may forget what you said,

and did,

But not how you made them feel.

Did I honor you with my every word,

every look?

Unkind words implied,

sustained,

erode…

Trust frayed and denied.

The truth is I see you as a proud Arabian stallion,

my rock on a stormy beach.

Our winds of change and displacement,

Family grief, unspoken and buried deep,

have polished you to the eye,

softened you to the touch.

Wise you are,

eyes on the horizon.

A gentle smile

whispering of adventures to come.

I stand in awe,

of the rose in bloom.