anniversary
having been the unexpected
stubborn
lump of coal
I outlasted your years of polish.
first in line to toss my handful of dirt
duly
I sang dust to dust
shaking
with relief.
now
in the free world
I find memory persists.
sometimes I see the pale stem of your arm
rising bravely through the morphine
your beautiful fingers
reaching out
for
me.
wiping sullen tears from my own daughter's face
I find it is your voice
that whispers
hush
hush.
only today
I found a box
filled with your hairpins and combs.
rising
as I lifted the lid
was the soft, familiar scent of your skin.
once
you must have
pressed against me
just because I was yours
needing to shape me
just enough
to fit
into your arms.
for Clara 1919 - 1988
11 comments:
Wow. I'm still sniffling a little... Very nice, Brown Shoes. Very nice.
Your words manage to bring my intellect and emotions to a different level.
(Including your comments today on Shelley Winters...)
A pleasure to read.
thank you
so much.
bs
oh, those last few lines-- so very beautiful, bs.
Beautiful poem, B.S. You are, to be sure, a pretty darn incrediblly wonderful writer and poet.
Beautiful poem, B.S. You are, to be sure, a pretty darn incrediblly wonderful writer and poet.
Beautiful poem, B.S. You are, to be sure, a pretty darn incrediblly wonderful writer and poet.
Well now - a comment so nice you left it thrice. Thank you Dr. Bookworm.
I will indulge in a bit of vulgar ego flapping here and mention that I was given a WA state poetry award for this piece - which was exciting enough, but William Stafford read it for the audience,
and that I will never forget.
bs
You know, I needed to hear that from you, that you are award-winning-- it reaffirms my awe of you.
xxoo, me
And I needed to hear that from you.
It does me much good to think you might hold me in some esteem - and renewed esteem? Even better.
Thank you RJ,
today was the day
I could use some reaffirming.
bs
OH! You are AFFIRMED!
Believe me.
I could hug you into a coma.
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