Beyond - Legends A Heart Full of Gratitude (L/M) One shot, Poetry Challenge.

Title: A Heart Full of Gratitude
By Nyota's Heart
Disclaimer: Borrowing with affection.
Characters: Luke/Mara
Genre: Introspection & Poetry Challenge
The poem was #22:

____

“When You Are Old,” by William Butler Yeats

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

---

He looks at his wife, playing with Cerys' daughter, Valeria. Valeria is spending the summer holiday with her grandparents.

Their own daughter Cerys has known 25 seasons - how amazing! Time has flown by in an instant.

"A true sign of encroaching decrepitude , Skywalker." Mara observes, a wry twist to her lips.

Luke laughs.

Her red-golden tresses are only now touched with gray, and her jade eyes are as vibrant as they were when he first caught their unique brilliance all those years ago.

Her tongue is as incisive as ever.

He cannot imagine a life devoid of her and is happy to think he will not have to know what that feels like for many a year yet!

He is grateful for every single moment he has had with her and glances up to the glowing stars overhead.
He used to be so restless, Luke thinks, but now, he is content to be in whatever place Mara is in.

Luke gets up after a few more moments of quiet reflection and joins Valeria and Mara. He scoops Valeria up with a tickle to her ribs, which sends her into happy giggles.

He and Mara tuck her in and then he joins Mara on the sofa.

"Isn't it wonderful we're at a point in our lives we can pause and enjoy ourselves and our family?" He asks Mara, echoing his earlier thoughts.

She frowns. "Don't you think we've earned it, after all we've done to bring about peace and calm?"

"But we have to be thankful no one is actively trying to sabotage it." He says.

"Your're such an optimist." Mara observes with feigned ire.

"Hmm. No, just grateful."

Mara sighs in silent contentment and leans into his shoulder. "We'd better turn in. We have a busy day tomorrow at the amusement park."

He grins. "And if you're really good, I'll let you play in Farmboy Land."

Mara smirks. "Ha! You're the one who'd better be good!"

He chases her into their bedroom.

++++

LOL

AN: Farmboy Land is from divapilot's Mod Challenge entry. Woot!

 

Love it! That Farmboy Land is really a popular place.

This is so sweet and gentle. So nice to see them enjoying their life and not running around with the weight of the universe on their shoulders.

And oh, this poem. This poem. It's one of my favorites. I have a copy of it pinned over my computer at work. Especially this line: But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you

Who wouldn't want someone to recognize and love your pilgrim soul? Such a wonderful, profound line.

 

Beautiful poem and nice response - so nice to see Luke and Mara old and happy!

 

Nice poem and nice to see Luke without the burden of loss of Mara

 

Loved this here and in divapilot 's story.

 

Beautiful poem and a beautiful response to it. I always love old Luke/Mara, it gives me this bittersweet joy...

 

Thank you, Annia! This poem thwacked me and had their name written all over it! Our fanon is canon now of L/M still living and loving with their great great grands.

 

Thanks! I enjoy writing/reading in this challenge! This particular poem just begged to be given an L/M eventual spin.