an answer to Dora...

‘Thomas, a fantastic figure who served as an example to each one of us through his energy, love, dedication and joy’.


energy
That energy wherewith you speak
came loaded with the vagaries of age,
each night a welcome gift of sleep
as exhaustion, well hidden during the day,
set in and cradled me in love and pain

love
The love sprang forth as a reflection
of the tender caring of the youth I served;
love so undeserved yet welcomed with joy
in the time of my still mourning a lost love

dedication
Years of striving to succeed professionally
caught up with me anew as I came to know
minds so open to embrace a foreign idiom
making it easy for me to do this needed work

joy
The joy was mine, believe me, and the tears
you shed will always be reflected in my soul,
a reservoir of memories that make each day
a reason to continue; this was your gift to me

bloginfo: This poem was written in response to the quote in the good-bye letter from a student at the end of my second summer there.
blognote: This poem is also found in my poetry website.