a stack of memories and one give away

Memories

A long time ago my father was in the navy. As a marconist (radio officer)

he was often sent to distant lands. He passed away  many years ago.

But what remains are the memories. Memories of stories he told,

the letters he wrote to my mother,the cards he sent, gifts he brought,

shells and the stamps on the cards and letters.

It may be clear that the theme of the drawing challenge this week, memory,
appealed to me. Most of my work is based on reflections, things I've seen
and memories.

Although I planned to make one or two pieces on the theme, I ended up in
a kind of flow and there were twelve!

This post (and the pieces I made) is a kind of ode to my father and to memories.
And one is a give away. As an ode to the  drawing challenge. 

If you want to participate: just leave your choice in your comment

before next sunday the 25th of May (just mention the letter that´s in each piece, d,e, etc.) 

I'll announce the winner on sunday afternoon.

Please have a look on Kristen Donegan's blog: A Sunny Spot to see more memories.
Thank you Kristen for hosting this drawing challenge.


My Father in the Navy: A Childhood Memory 

Stiff and immaculate 
in the white cloth of his uniform 
and a round cap on his head like a halo, 
he was an apparition on leave from a shadow-world 
and only flesh and blood when he rose from below 
the waterline where he kept watch over the engines 
and dials making sure the ship parted the waters 
on a straight course. 
Mother, brother and I kept vigil 
on the nights and dawns of his arrival, 
watching the corner beyond the neon sign of a quasar 
for the flash of white, our father like an angel 
heralding a new day. 
His homecomings were the verses 
we composed over the years making up 
the siren's song that kept him coming back 
from the bellies of iron whales 
and into our nights 
like the evening prayer.


by Judith Ortiz Cofer

from Hispanics in the U.S. 
An anthology of Creative Literature, Vol. 2, 1982