Duration

Our Family Friend, Jim Petersen, wrote a poem after Parker died. The Petersen's has known my dad since back in the BYU Helaman Halls days. We grew up visiting them usually every other year in California. They are family to us. I love the Petersen's. Jim drove up from California when he heard of Parker's heart stopping back on the 8th of July. I am very grateful for his love for us and for our son. Here is his poem:


DURATION

His soul burned so bright
It caught many by surprise
The smile, the eyes,
The shouts of discovery
Endearing often beyond words

A father’s pride swelled to almost bursting
A mother’s love enlarged almost beyond understanding
The gift transcends wordly descriptions

The seeds of this mortality are sown within us all
Some seeds are slow to emerge and erode the clay
Others bloom far too soon
Leaving the whole plan of passage our of order or sensibilities

A small fracture in an otherwise splendid body
Began to grow, with fissures spreading too quickly
Loving and trained hands reached and touched
Patching for a time to add precious days and hours
Until the heart simply broke
Not from lack of love or caring
But from the infirmities rampant in the lone and dreary world

Shattered, but never defeated in their love,
Mother and father took him home
Where fond memories and safety were the very key
Holding, rocking, singing lullaby melodies when anxious sounds arose
Knowing the completion of this short duration was at hand

On a peaceful sunny morning
There was formed an instinctive shape
Quiet was the order of the moment
Each hoping for another breath

The picture to an observer was one of the sacred circle
Three generations touching, listening, wondering, hoping
That they could heal the youngest with their love and devotion
Soft tears filled each heart and eye
Babe in mother’s arms
Father protecting mother in her harshest hour
Grandparents in agony over their children’s Gethsemane

Father’s hand on his son’s now still heart
Confirmed the passage
Each in turn held the small temple
Once so bright and full of promise

But our of sorrow and loss
Began to arise a stronger dedication
From all who felt the smile
Who saw the innocence grow so bright
Who promised within to hold those so dear
Even closer tonight and forever

Poem written by Jim Petersen, a family friend, after the passing of Parker Shumaker, 20 months of age, July 15, 2005.


Thank you, Jim!