Honoring Grandpa
I honor my Grandpa
A man I dearly loved
Who gave me a great gift
One I treasure
Beautiful music
He was an imperfect man
Groping for answers
And in his confusion
And he hurt me very deeply
What he did
Was truly awful
But I forgive him
I bless him
And I remember him well
For all the good he did to me
Big pink "horsepills"
Riding on his shoulders
Scratching his goatee
Summers in the mountains
The fresh smell of the ponderosas
Hikes and working together
Yosemite
The love of the mountains
And music, always the music
Oh, he had gift
What beautiful songs he wrote
And a voice like waters
A Yosemite waterfall
Deep, rich and resounding
Full of life
To penetrate the soul
And he passed it on to us
All his progeny have the gift
I was blessed
He taught me to sing
Ten years I studied with him
At least one day a week
More than any of the others
Of his beloved grandchildren
Who were blessed to study with him
And he loved me for it
"Oh, I love you, Stevo!"
He would say
So full of gratitude
That I wanted his best offering
The best part of his legacy to his family
His art, his greatest passion
How blessed am I
So grateful that he gave me so much good
Things so rich and treasured
By which I can remember him
And in time
Be free of the great wound
That he gave me in his confusion
I forgive him
I love him, I honor him
I am so grateful to know
He is at peace
On his deathbed he repented
And went forever to live with his Maker
One day I will see him there
And carry on my friendship
With this dear man I love
And honor
Stephen Pursell, 10/14/14,
in honor on F. J. Pursell,
my beloved grandfather