by Kimberly Blackadar
Member since:
October 8, 2009

"October Rain" (Saturday Writing Essential)

October 01, 2011 07:52 AM UTC (Updated: October 26, 2011 11:05 PM UTC)
views: 0 | 29 people recommend this | comments: 63

“October Rain”

~For Kayla Rose~



The years slip by quickly

Yet photos remain

Carefully placed

In an unfinished album

One that requires journaling

Before the mind erases

The nuances of the moment

Like the subtle sounds

Of October rain

Tapping the picture window

And obscuring the brilliance of Cincinnati’s skyline

As I welcomed you

With exhausted arms

Clutching the hopes and dreams

Of a mother-daughter bond

Like an exquisite gift

Wrapped in pink ribbons

While a future twirls in my mind

Like delicate pirouettes

On point shoes



*This revised poem captures my daughter’s birth, which occurred October 12, 2005.*



My daughter, pictured to the right and dressed as Lucy Pevensie from The Chronicles of Narnia, inspired this poem. Happy Birthday, little one! :)

Comments: 63

JOHN BECK Oct 1, 2011, 8:58am UTC
What a sweetie! and of course the Gather editor moved her photo to the left!
JOHN BECK Oct 1, 2011, 8:58am UTC
Nice poem as well.
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 1, 2011, 10:34am UTC
Thank you, John.
Greg Schiller Oct 1, 2011, 4:57pm UTC
I second what John said. (Hey, just listen to these old men coo over a cute kid. They're not as grumpy as they pretend to be.)
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 2, 2011, 7:53am UTC
Thanks, Greg. :)
Kathryn Flynn Oct 1, 2011, 10:26am UTC
A very nice poem and a beautiful daughter you have.... Happy Birthday Kayla Rose~
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 1, 2011, 10:34am UTC
Thank you, Kathryn. Kayla says "thank you" as well.
Kathryn Flynn Oct 1, 2011, 1:21pm UTC
Daughters are so sweet. Sons, too. Do you have other children? I feel so blessed to have one of each. It was tiring, but fun, and now that they are adults, the rewards are even greater. (23-son; 20-daughter; daughter will be 21 on 11/1.)
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 1, 2011, 1:35pm UTC
Yes, I have a nine-year-old son as well and am enjoying being a mom with young children.
Kathryn Flynn Oct 2, 2011, 12:21am UTC
such a sweet life.... it gets better and better...as i know you know...
J. Reid Oct 1, 2011, 10:35am UTC
Smiles...

Thank you for sharing with: Not Gathering Dust!
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 1, 2011, 11:17am UTC
Thanks, J.
Patricia J. Oct 1, 2011, 11:10am UTC
This is a poem as beautiful as your daughter.
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 1, 2011, 11:17am UTC
Thank you, Patricia. :)
Granny Janny Oct 1, 2011, 11:32am UTC
How I resonate with this poem...so lovely.
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 1, 2011, 11:46am UTC
Thanks! Do you have a daughter as well?
Granny Janny Oct 1, 2011, 1:11pm UTC
Yes, a daughter who has two daughters, almost three and almost six months. The second reading of this speaks to my past and also to the future gifts unwrapping daily through my grand daughters.
If you're lucky, it just keeps getting better in that way. May your life be blessed with such happiness.
Now featuring the poem on Poet's Weekly Muse.
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 1, 2011, 1:19pm UTC
My mother tells me all the time about how special being a grandmother is and how much she treasures it. So, in a way, I understand that perspective.

Thanks for the feature!
Ann Marcaida Oct 1, 2011, 11:56am UTC
I have no idea how you managed it, but the rhythm here is beautiful and does echo the rhythm of rain, or perhaps the rhythm of a well-ordered life. Can you enlighten me?

Thanks for sharing with Gather's Best Writers and Artists. Featured and tweeted.
Ann Marcaida Oct 1, 2011, 12:00pm UTC
PS: Typo in the title.
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 1, 2011, 12:52pm UTC
Perhaps the remembrance of the rain created the rhythm in my head.

Thanks for the tweet and feature. :)

Ah, I see. I put an extra "r" in Saturday. Could that be because I was feeling a little "rrrrr" this morning?
Veronica Hosking Oct 1, 2011, 12:01pm UTC
Beautiful imagery. My girls have begun scrap booking. They do a great job with the pages and photos. We still have too many just sitting in boxes. I don't even take the time to place them in books. I'd rather paint a picture with words like you did here than mess around with photos.
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 1, 2011, 12:53pm UTC
My daughter has started scrapbooking with me, but unfortunately, we are behind on our albums. I like capturing life in writing as well.
Amber C. Oct 1, 2011, 2:22pm UTC
That is beauitful.
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 1, 2011, 4:30pm UTC
Thank you, Amber.
Len Maxwell Oct 1, 2011, 2:57pm UTC
An absolutely perfect post. Your daughter is a real sweetheart and she has a mother who is accomplished enough in writing to express her feelings.

Thank you for taking the SatWE challenge.
Len Maxwell Oct 1, 2011, 3:59pm UTC
Had to come back to feature this on Gather Writing Essential.
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 1, 2011, 4:31pm UTC
Thank you for the thoughtful comment and the feature, Len.
Janet "Jax" B. Oct 1, 2011, 5:26pm UTC
Happy birthday to her.....they sure get big quickly. You'll blink and she'll be all grown up....

Very sweet poem...
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 1, 2011, 10:00pm UTC
Thanks, Jax. I know you can't read most of my posts lately. Tell Angela my editor has the second draft of the book now...getting closer....
Janet "Jax" B. Oct 1, 2011, 10:40pm UTC
Ang will be VERY happy to hear that.

Ohhh, I hope it's out before Christmas...that would make a good gift for one of my neice's (she's read the first one).
Angela A. Oct 1, 2011, 9:07pm UTC
What a lovely poem!
And, such a lovely young lady up there.
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Make your own banner at MyBannerMaker.com!
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 1, 2011, 10:00pm UTC
Thank you, Angela. She's my little inspiration.
Larry H. Oct 1, 2011, 9:11pm UTC
beautiful young lady, love her long hair. thanks for sharing
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 1, 2011, 10:00pm UTC
Thank you, Larry. She warms my heart with her smile. :)
karen vaughan Oct 1, 2011, 11:15pm UTC
Nice ode to October and your daughters birth. Happy birthday on the 12th to a cute little girl.
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 2, 2011, 7:35am UTC
Thank you, Karen...and a "thank you" from Kayla too!
stephen berwaldt Oct 2, 2011, 8:39am UTC
A beautiful tribute to a beautiful treasure...
How blessed you are..

Thank you posting to the Triple Name Club. Now Featured.
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 2, 2011, 9:38am UTC
Thank you for the comments and the feature, Stephen.
William Dotani Oct 5, 2011, 3:05am UTC
Your daughter is as lovely as the character in this beautiful Christian adventure story. Your selections of bits and pieces from her history paints of lovely image of your loving relationship.
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 5, 2011, 2:11pm UTC
Thank you, William. My children and I are very fond of the book series. We even named our new cats after the Pevensie girls--Lucy and Susan.
Heidi S. Oct 8, 2011, 1:13am UTC
This is lovely :)
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 8, 2011, 9:09am UTC
Thank you, Heidi.
Allen H. Oct 8, 2011, 6:10pm UTC
"Like the subtle sounds of October rain"
words that beat like rain on my window pane!
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 9, 2011, 10:28am UTC
Thank you, Allen.
Liz H. Oct 8, 2011, 7:43pm UTC
Beautiful, dreamy tribute to your dear one:

an exquisite gift
Wrapped in pink ribbons
While a future twirls in my mind
Like delicate pirouettes
On point shoes
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 9, 2011, 10:29am UTC
Thank you so much, Liz. Those are my favorite lines. :)
Barbary Chaapel Oct 9, 2011, 3:13pm UTC
So lovingly written and lovely, Kimberly.
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 11, 2011, 6:00pm UTC
Thank you, Barbary. It brings back fond memories.
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 11, 2011, 6:01pm UTC
Barbary, it shows that you gave it a triple recommendation. Gee, I wish I had that kind of power.
Barbary Chaapel Jan 4, 2012, 11:15pm UTC
Special Effects! :)
Sheila Deeth Oct 11, 2011, 5:48pm UTC
That's so lovely!
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 11, 2011, 6:00pm UTC
Thank you so much, Sheila.
Joann B. Oct 13, 2011, 3:56pm UTC
Those are the moments that wash our souls and leave them pure and shining. A perfect vignet.
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 26, 2011, 11:04pm UTC
Joann, thank you for poetic comment.
Marianne K. Oct 21, 2011, 12:12am UTC
Beautiful and true....children are a blessing from the Lord!!
Marianne K. Oct 21, 2011, 12:15am UTC
(Satrurday Writing Essential).....a little typo.
Kimberly Blackadar Oct 26, 2011, 11:05pm UTC
Thank you, Marianne. Yes, I had an extra "rrrrrr" that Saturday.
Shelbia C. Nov 11, 2011, 7:21pm UTC
This is beautiful and your daughter is lovvely
Kimberly Blackadar Nov 16, 2011, 9:34pm UTC
Thank you, Shelbia.
G.H. Monroe Jan 12, 2012, 1:03pm UTC
This is an amazing poem. It makes me sad that I never thought to put a little journal entry with each photo to remember those little details. What a wonderful idea.
Kimberly Blackadar Jan 12, 2012, 3:44pm UTC
Thank you for reading it. It brings back wonderful memories.
Quinn (aka Entwife) Blackburn Feb 22, 2012, 10:06pm UTC
Endearing coupling of words and image :o) I love the image of October rain as a memory marker... it conjures sounds, smells, sights and even tastes that give one a tangible and familiar point of reference to share as we explore your memories. I also enjoyed the sweet closing image of a dancing future. Excellent wordcrafting!

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