lirazel | (no subject)

My aunt keeps texting me asking me to contribute to a thing she's doing for one of my cousin's birthdays. The cousin is turning 40 and my aunt is putting together a collection of letters from people in her life--she's essentially asking for us to, like, write about a significant memory involving the cousin or a way she's made a difference in my life. Fine.

The only problem is...I do not know this cousin well enough to write ANYTHING. I have no meaningful memories with her. She's a kind enough person, I don't dislike her, I just don't know her. But I don't want to say no to this request.

Anyway, the only way out of this I can think of is to just share a poem. But I am having trouble finding a poem that will suit. Something about life or friendship or the passage of life or aging (but not too much about aging because she's not old) or something, but it can't offend fairly conservative Christian sensibilities and it has to be accessible to someone who doesn't read much (any? I don't know her, so I don't know!) poetry. Maybe something Mary Oliver-esque, only it would be A++++ if it mentioned God in some way.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

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Unfortunately the only thing coming to mind about Christian + God poem is Eliot's Ash-Wednesday which is, uh, a good poem but one I doubt is relevant.

So! My generic go-to good-poet-generic-poem is Robert Frost. The Road Not Taken is a classic for a reason, and that would work great if she's got a career path that isn't, like, corporate America. I have opinions on this poem and how it is used but it still remains a great poem. Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening is also great, and thematic for the time of year if she lives in a place with snow.

Haha, yes, it's a great poem but not exactly relevant!

Frost is wonderful! But she is both a corporate lawyer AND lives in Malibu! Lol! However, I just wrote a poem of my own, so no worries!