Unfinished Poem by Jim Yerman

My grandfather was an artist…through an artist eyes he'd see
when I was five he gave me a portrait…the portrait was of me!

There I was on the canvas…my eyes, my smile…my hair
everything about me…was in the picture…everywhere…

"Thank you! It's beautiful Grandpa! " I said, "but tell me how can this be
you titled it ‘ONE…UNFINISHED', but It looks all done to me."

"Oh, this painting is quite finished, " Grandpa said, "as anyone can see
but you, the subject of the painting, you will never be…."

"So each year I will add a painting…
next year's will be UNFINISHED…TWO
and when your birthday comes around…
I'll present it, then, to you."

"For if there's one thing I can teach you
One thing I know to be true
it's that I will never finish being me
and you will never finish being you…"

Grandpa knew what he was talking about…
and he kept his promise too
He gave me 25 UNFINISHED paintings
before his time was through.

And whenever I look at my paintings today Grandpa
here's something else I know is true….
you have never finished loving me
and I will never finish loving you…