Cocoa: the cuddly kind, not the edible kind
originally posted 11/14/07
I am grateful for teddy bears. My bear Cocoa was given to me when I was ten years old. My family was about to move to the other end of the state, and my best friend threw me a going away party. I got gifts from various friends, and the bear was what she gave to me. The moment I saw him I knew his name. Moving away from all my friends was very hard for me. That night after getting Cocoa, I fell asleep holding him. He represented all I was leaving behind.
Cocoa was always a comfort to me. I slept with him every night, even taking him on sleepovers and campouts. He soaked up many tears, and was always there. I've written two poems about him. The first one I wrote in Junior High and was my very first Haiku. It was sometime during High School that I wrote the second.
Brown, soft, and furry,
He comforts me through the night--
My teddy Cocoa.
My Teddy
I live a lonely life these days,
There's not much that can comfort me;
Just a letter from a friend, my life-long journal,
And Cocoa, my cherished teddy.
A bear will always listen,
And never dispute a claim;
Won't ever tell your secret,
Or give away the game.
He'll always be there for you,
If you just want to talk,
Or need something to hold to,
Like algae to a rock.
He'll never walk away from you,
Or leave you all alone.
He's more a comfort to me
Than talking on the phone.
I love my teddy Cocoa,
He means so much to me.
I'm not complete without him,
Just leaves without a tree.
I live a lonely life these days,
There's not much that can comfort me;
Just a letter from a friend, my life-long journal,
And Cocoa, my cherished teddy.
A bear will always listen,
And never dispute a claim;
Won't ever tell your secret,
Or give away the game.
He'll always be there for you,
If you just want to talk,
Or need something to hold to,
Like algae to a rock.
He'll never walk away from you,
Or leave you all alone.
He's more a comfort to me
Than talking on the phone.
I love my teddy Cocoa,
He means so much to me.
I'm not complete without him,
Just leaves without a tree.
As a confession, I slept with him up to the night before my wedding. There were times I even took him to school with me. It was a comfort knowing he was there in my backpack, and I took him out during lunch as I sat at my locker. I didn't care what people thought. Even now, when I'm not feeling well or having a bad day, I will cuddle up with him. He's the one stuffed animal I won't let B play with. So many memories wrapped up in one bear.
Your teddy is in better shape then mine! But they have a lot in commen. Mine was made for me by my Father's mother...who died before she ever got to see me. However my teddy gave me her love, and kept me company through losing my parents, foster care, making my way in the world. And he still is here, helping me those times when I just can't bear Steve over in Iraq one more minute.
ReplyDeleteI love your poem, and you sharing Cocoa with me. {{Hugs}}