jeudi 3 mars 2011

mother


Picasso, Mère et enfant

for Kim...



take your time
it's a lot to swallow
tomorrow and tomorrow
without her

she was the garden
that bloomed every spring
she was the calla lily
and the robin

in the summer she was ice tea
and a summer salad
she always looked so cool
in her sleeveless blouses

in the fall she pruned the roses
and washed the blankets
some of them went perfectly folded
to charity

you could hear her humming
in the kitchen when you came in
from a wintry day
cold and dripping

after finding you a towel
she made you soup
and a sandwich
you knew you were home

now that she is gone
the world is lonelier
for no one will ever love you
the way that she did

in her garden
you look up at the trees
the wind comes up suddenly
and kisses your hair

just for a moment
you feel her there
in her garden
outside the kitchen door

tears well up
as you remember how
she gently taught you
to say thank you

3 commentaires:

Jan Hersh a dit…

I will strive to be remembered like that. And so, as always, you inspire with your beautiful poetry.

Laura Tattoo a dit…

if i've come to know you at all, jan, this is how you WILL be remembered. love you. xoxoxooxxo

Mary Stebbins Taitt a dit…

OH! So sad! So evocative of my own loss when my mother died.

I miss your art! I love your poems, AND I also liked your art!