Leigh Anne asked us to write about family this month. Family is my priority always, but since retiring, I find myself dedicating more time to my children and grandchildren.
This week as my husband and I celebrate 43 years of marriage, I am caring for my grandchildren in New Orleans. My colleagues are going back to school and while I admit to feeling a pang of “I should be there”, I am grateful I am not. My mind and body are more relaxed, and I am able to devote energy to my family. What a blessing!
Next weekend we will all gather in Jackson, MS to celebrate my mother’s long life of 89 years. My mother, Dorothy Liles Gibson, was dedicated to family. She taught me the value of being fully present. I have selected this poem to read at her service: “Let the Last Thing Be Song.” My mother was a musician all her life. She taught piano lessons and got her masters in piano. She was a founding member of the Jackson Music Forum. She was also an active choir member at St. James Episcopal Church. I look forward to being with all of my children and grandchildren, siblings and their families, as well as friends and cousins. We will raise our voices to praise her life.
I am taking a poetry workshop with Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer. This week she used a model poem by Alberto Rios, “When Giving is All We Have” to talk about paradox in a poem. She gave us a prompt with a variety of anaphoric phrases. I chose prayer. “We pray because…” I’m sharing the draft of my poem.
When Prayer is all We Have
After Alberto Rios “When Giving is All We Have”
We pray because we are lost.
We pray because we are found.
We pray because prayer changes us.
We pray because prayer changes nothing.
We hold hands to pray.
We kneel alone in the sand.
Prayers have many ways to begin:
Our Father
Dear Lord
Ah, me
I am here
Silence can be a prayer.
Prayers connect us to the dead.
We are helpless in prayer.
What I do not have, I offer to prayer—an empty voice, a sigh of desperation.
Does it matter who is listening?
The prayer makes all the difference.
Margaret Simon, draft
Reflections on the Teche 
Your poem is so beautiful…and TRUE.
I love the one you’ve chosen for your mother’s celebration. It will be the perfect tribute.
Margaret, it’s difficult to imagine a paradox being comforting, but in your gentle hands … it is.
I love this. Beautiful. ~~ Brenda
Sent: Friday, August 08, 2025 at 7:20 AM
Really lovely, Margaret. It covers prayer from so many directions, with such honesty. “What I do not have, I offer to prayer—an empty voice, a sigh of desperation.
Does it matter who is listening?”
Margaret, I also took a workshop on Zoom with Rosemerry. She is a gentle person with much poetic goodness to give others. I really enjoyed the poem “When Giving Is All We Have”. It made a great mentor poem for you. The way you crafted your poem touched me. Sometimes I wonder if a silent prayer without words provides me with a foundation. Thank you for the truth of your words: “Prayers connect us to the dead.” I shall think about that as I pray for a continued connection with Richard.
I did not know that your mother passed into the light of heaven so I read all of your posts until I found the blog post with your adorable little Sam. He was born and your mother passed on-the wonder of the Lord! I pray that your heart is full with the love of being a grandmother. I can imagine your mother and father joined together in a heavenly home.
“Ah, me/I am here.”
Amen.
The truths in the poem prick my heart…tears…maybe happy are close to the surface for me. Oh, my goodness, yes. We pray and we pray. We were made to pray. Thank goodness.
Gentle hugs to you, Margaret. Prayer takes many forms and “…makes all the difference.”
Oh, Margaret. The prayer does make all the difference. And yes, silence can be a prayer, an important one, I believe. I am reminded that “the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” That knowledge alone is a powerful comfort. Happy 43rd anniversary! My husband and I are celebrated our 40th this weekend. That was what I wrote about for SJT and it ended up taking me days because I couldn’t frame what I wanted to say. Finally posted it today. I rejoice in your retirement – it is a good thing, especially now. I marvel at your mother’s talents. You, I daresay, are one of her greatest songs – one that continues to be sung, even now 🙂
Margaret, that poem: “let me be sung across the threshold” is just WOW! Hugs to you. And I’m so glad you get to enjoy retirement with your grandkids. That’s just wonderful.
Margaret, congratulations on your retirement. I know it is not always an easy transition, but what richness you have on the other side of it. Have a wonderful anniversary as you care for your grandchildren.
Peace to all of you at this time of loss and celebration of your dear mom. The poem you will read for the memorial is just beautiful:
“Sing to me — please —
and I will sing for you as all unravels”
Thank you for your prayer poem. It has great advice for me. And I’ve read two Alberto Rios poems today–from you and Patricia. Now I’m off to read some more.
Margaret, your last line “The prayer makes all the difference” speaks to me. We don’t always feel like our prayers are being heard and answered, but they always are.
Oh, Margaret, the poem you’ve selected to read for your mother is beautiful and heartrendingly perfect. I’ll be thinking of you and your family.
“What I do not have, I offer to prayer—” and “The prayer makes all the difference.” These two lines feel powerful and grounding, as if they are reaching out and comforting us, showing us a bit of a path, thanks for your poem, and for sharing the moving poem you will read for you Mom.
Praying the celebration of your mother’s life brings the blessings of peace to you and your family, Margaret. Thank you for sharing both the eulogy poem and Albert Rios (who I love!)
Margaret, this is a lovely tribute to your mom and I know that the service and poem are meaningful to all of you. I am grateful that you are in a place now where you can devote more time to family without the deadlines and pressures of school. Even though I know you miss it, you have worked long and hard to be able to have some time to enjoy it. Thanks for reminding me. I have been meaning to write about family for spiritual .