I wrote this haiku to commemorate the very special relationship of Sam Carter and her father, Jacob. A friend then created a collage of Sam-Jacob screencaps as the colored background for the poem. It was made into a large framed picture which I had the privilege to present to Amanda Tapping last year in London. Father and daughter belong to MGM; the poem is mine. I dusted it off from its cyber-shelf and thought I'd share here. I'd like to think that Amanda has placed the original gift on a shelf of her own. Enjoy.
Flying Lessons
Little hands opened
To catch the soaring airplane
Only a model
Laughter filled the air
Father and daughter running
As she reached and caught
Her prize, the blue jet
Made at the kitchen table
Daddy's gift to her
For a report card
Of straight A's, much improvement
Over grades before
Little Sammy knew
Her dad expected great things
Setting the mark high
As high as planes fly
Roaring forward blazing trails
In the sky above
Child's play on that day
Turned to woman's work later
Never disappoint
Learning how to fly
Excelling in her studies
All the while waiting
For a father's nod
An ongoing approval
Blue sky and beyond
Pushing boundaries
Challenging mind and body
Proud to be "perfect"
Astrophysics rules
Leaving family behind
Traveling through space
What price did she pay
To be on top of her game
Alone in the stars
Pedestals not good
For neither dad nor daughter
Trying to catch what?
Empty air above
Heart, not head, is needed more
Substance here below
Finally Death speaks
Words come crashing to the ground
"I have cancer, Sam"
Time stands still for both
Memory calms gravity
The need to be real
Medals, honors pale
No need to be so perfect
Just to be let in
Finding what was lost
Little girl and father's pride
Running hand in hand
A clear cloudless day
Filled with laughter and delight
Flying model planes
What goes 'round comes 'round
Falling to earth just to rise
Death is caught in flight
A new day begins
Father becomes a leader
Daughter looks with pride
They work together
Building ships, dissolving suns
At home with their flaws
Time, once still, moves on
Death has waited long enough
Returning at last
Nothing more to do
He taught his daughter so much
She taught him as well
It took such long years
To shed false expectations
Welcome what they knew
The truth did not fail
Imperfection was the key
Loving, enduring
The last years were best
A shared pride and tolerance
Peaceful acceptance
He now says goodbye
She hovers with a last kiss
His spirit takes flight