One Little Lantern
A Poem
There stands one little lantern in every child's chest,
whose glow is caught a-flickering in their upturned gaze;
Right words will stoke that lamp-light, to endure race and rest,
and help it keep a-glimmering, over the long, early days.
Life, in time, will put that candle to many a battering test -
and tempt the flame to die - or explode, a harmful blaze.
But one thing spoken kindly may become a heart's long guest,
And tend that little lantern: for love's ever a lasting phrase.
About the Creator
Gabriel Huizenga
Twas for love of words that I first joined this site:
Poetry, especially, and dear short stories too;
For to live one's best is to read, and to write!
So find me in words here, and I'll find you 💙
Thanks for stopping by! :)
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
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By Kelly Vedder5 days ago in Poets
'20/20'
"Do It Again" the track that would ultimately open the Beach Boys final album on Capitol Records which was released on February 10th 1969 had originally been released as a single in August of 1968. The track was the first of many post-Pet Sounds era throwbacks to the early Beach Boys sound which would become continually more cliched and eventually lead the Beach Boys to the level of self-parody they would eventually succumb to in the 1980s while their closest contemporaries The Beatles nearing the end of their run in 1969 would go on to be viewed as the most influential band of all time. However, the song itself is not bad on its surface, and it opens with a futuristic sounding (for 1969) drumbeat captured by then-Beach Boys engineer Stephen Desper using tape delays on the drums performed by Dennis Wilson and John Guerin. The song has been re-recorded numerous times over the years on various Beach Boys-related projects most notably the 2011 re-recording at Capitol studios featuring the five surviving Beach Boys at the time backed instrumentally by various members of both the Brian Wilson Band and Mike Loves touring "Beach Boys" to promote the then upcoming Beach Boys 50th Anniversary reunion tour in 2012. The hammering and power drill sound at the end of the song was an excerpt from a track called "Workshop" that was to be a part of the uncompleted "SMiLE" album.
By Sean Callaghan6 days ago in Beat
Comments (10)
I think a lot of people will quietly relate to this, even if they never say it out loud. Powerful piece .I wrote something similar recently your story really resonated with me
What a beautiful and enduring poem, Gabriel. It brings to mind Kahlil Gibran's "Sand and the Foam" about childhood. This is just so lovely and such a unique response to the prompt. Well done, as always.
Supremely beautiful message poem, Gabriel! You zeroed in on something so powerful here, highlighting a truth in an unmistakable way. Methinks this touches a part of all of us, and I'm genuinely pleased that this was given top story status.
This is just beautiful mate, in sentiment and in the actual poem. Such a positive approach to the challenge. Congrats on Top Story!
Outstanding! Beautiful poem
So sweet! As irreligious as I am, feels like it should be on a church wall, or said as a prayer at night
Well-wrought, Gabriel! May the lantern yet burn!
A beautiful poem, really touching. We all need to hear warm, kind words, but it is especially important for children if they are going to grow into happy, balanced adults. 🙏👏💖
I actually considered writing a poem where special people in our lives were lanterns, but the idea of preserving and nourishing a child’s light seems especially beautiful. Really, really well done, Gabriel! Good luck on the challenge!
Aww this is such a sweet poem and such good advice! 😍