Letters To My Father. Letter 4.

Dear Dad,

I always knew that you were a deeply kind and compassionate man, but never really knew the depth of feeling that you had for Mom. You and Mom kept your relationship private. I caught the occasional glimpse of your feelings, the kiss when you thought you were alone, or the quiet disagreement, but never saw the real depth and breadth of your relationship until I found your poetry book, long after you died, and when I was an adult.

Your feelings for Mom were strong and passionate. You loved her deeply.

The poetry book, judging by its well-thumbed pages, was obviously a favorite of yours. It was called 1001 Poems of Mankind.

The following poems were marked off by you when you were clearly thinking about and missing Mom.

They were very short, very sweet and all came from the Section titled, The Lover's Delight.

Love Grows By What It Feeds On

from the Sanskrit of Bhartrihari, tr. by Arthur W. Ryder.

When she is far, I only want to see her;
When she is seen, I only want to kiss her;
When she is kissed, I never want to flee her;
I know that I could never bear to miss her.

My Eyes That Hurry To See

from the Sanskrit of Chauras rendered by E. Powys Mathers

Even now
My eyes that hurry to see no more are painting, painting
Faces of my lost girl. O golden rings
That tap against cheeks of small magnolia leaves,
O whitest, so soft parchment where
My poor divorced lips have written excellent
Stanzas of kisses, and will write no more.

If My Girl With Lotus Eyes

from the Sanskrit of Chauras rendered by E. Powys Mathers

Even now
If my girl with lotus eyes came to me again
Weary with the dear weight of young love,
Again I would give her to these starved twins of arms
And again from her mouth drink down the heavy wine,
As a reeling pirate bee in fluttered ease
Steals up the honey from the nenuphar.

The stamp on the book says Prince George so I'm assuming you were away on business and missing her dearly.

Dad, you loved deeply and unconditionally. You were a romantic.

Thank you for showing me that was possible in this world, Dad,

Your loving daughter, Kitty