Paying Attention

Pay attention. You might want to know this someday.
~ Likeke R. McBride

When I was a teenager
I loathed Dad’s phrase,
though he was invariably right.

I paid attention at times.
I paid attention when
he pointed out native birds,

when he lived his love
for land and sea. I’ve forgotten
most of his lessons; now

there’s only the lesson of him:
Pay attention, learn, know.
Along Padden Creek,

in the woods it flows through,
at its estuary where it meets
the sea — I’m applying

his lesson: pay attention,
live and love, learn and know,
begin finally to understand.

~*~

Blessings to the memory of Dad.

Andrew Shattuck McBride
NaPoWriMo 2014 ~ Day 10