These Have I Loved

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These have I loved:
my father’s voice
deep as a cavern inside
his chest as I pressed my ear to his heart;
my mother’s touch – gentle and cool –
but safe and so warm in her arms;
my husband’s hands, calloused
and bent, large and kind
holding my heart, my world;
white and black piano keys, so plain
and straight, with strings that stir
my mind to wander in magical places;
the growl of the blue boat motor, pulling
my dear ones on the water, their delight
echoing across the lake;
the lake, the backdrop to our lives,
with its blue beauty,
peace and tranquility;
the precious weight of each child
and grandchild in my arms, and
the joy in watching them become;
the whisper of God in my ear
telling me He will never leave me;
the majesty of the sky and the
unknowable beyond;
all these have been my loves

picture by Lisa Paul

Copyright ©2026 Lisa Paul. All rights reserved.

Poetics: The Great Lover
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Published by lisaapaul

I’m a paralegal, a widow, mother and grandmother.

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10 thoughts on “These Have I Loved”

  1. I love that you have included family members in your list poem of things you have loved, Lisa, especially listening to your father’s voice ‘deep as a cavern inside his chest’ – I remember doing that as a child – and I would like to know more about that blue growling blue boat motor.

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    1. My husband found the ski Centurian and we bought it 15 years ago – it’s a 1980’s model, and he put in a new deck a few years ago, but it’s still going strong. I love the sound of it’s big outboard 💙

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  2. Lisa this poem is a deeply moving celebration of love in all its forms. The poem beautifully shows how the smallest sensory memories can hold the greatest treasures of our lives.Family is definitely one of my favorite things as well 🩵

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