Don't Forget The Seeds Poem by Jim Yerman

A favorite memory of her grandma began before she could even say a word…
In her Grandma's backyard, sitting on her lap…tossing seeds out for the birds.

It's where her love for her grandma and birds began…where her imagination first stirred.
It's where (I imagine you can guess what it was) she uttered her first word.

She remembers Grandma saying, "We only feed them seeds…we never feed birds bread."
It's where she learned her colors…blue, black, yellow, green and red.

It's where she learned to count…it's a memory that lingers….
how some days there were more birds in Grandma's yard…than she had toes and fingers.

She remembers Grandma saying, "I live in this big house on my own…
and when you're not here…with all these birds…I never feel alone."

Her mom was worried about her on the day of her grandma's funeral…
she hadn't said two words.
Until, at the cemetery, she pulled a bag of seeds out of her pocket saying,
"This is for the birds."

"What do you mean? " Her mother asked as handfuls of seeds were thrown.
"It's to remind the birds that Grandma's here…so she'll never be alone."

Now, whenever she visits her grandma's grave…she kneels down…
she whispers a few words…
then she plants some flowers for her grandma…
and spreads some seeds out for the birds.