Above the jogging couple a single leaf
reddened in the shadow
of the neon of summer
their faces glowed
as they lurched forward
glancing at each other as if,
by running again along a new route
they could keep
the old roads from view.
Clouds rimmed their town
with fresh mountainous pillars
dry and sparkling,
the words always there
between the days
of waiting for each breath
and knowing.
She waited
in the hospital rooms
in wallpapered halls and under crocheted throws.
She couldn’t help her mother anymore
but never said the word, goodbye.
It meant she would have to look back
and forward to recognize the road she’d chosen.
So she ran,
fresh and wet and charged
medicated by endorphines
he filled
the moments given
without knowing how to help
and kept the words coming
each hello a gift.
Every shared thought a valve
to open and liquefy the loneliness.
Fed and warmed and burning the fall
without losing their way,
they ran.
My mother's birthday contiues to be an anniversary for reflection, 2 1/2 years after her death. No longer in the throws of mourning mixed with infatuation for the world, I can savor the memories, one at a time. Good bye is still so final....
liquefy the loneliness...nice...my wifes mom died 3 years ago in october...always a tough time...
ReplyDeletethis swept me off my feet - so heartfelt and profound. my mom is 83 now and i know the day will come sooner or later - and i hate thinking about it
ReplyDeleteSuch commemorations need either to be framed in clear, detached narrative or dreamlike, allusive imagery. The sense of loss and yearning here resonates very effectively through the pairing of sharp snapshots - 'wallpapered halls...crocheted throws' - and extended metaphors. Powerful stuff.
ReplyDeleteoh pittiful thia poem deserves more than three comments .. Simply beautiful my Father passed just about two years ago and yes it's too soon to say goodbye and yes it's way to final a harder way to say goodbye
ReplyDeleteThis post deserves more than three comments ...Simply beautiful and ye It;s much to oon to say good by as in so long is way to final
ReplyDeleteShe is beautiful. I love the way she holds her hands, squints her eyes, her little cheeks. I love everything about this photo. Grief though, oh grief. No amount of constant motion takes you away from it, just the balm of time. But we charge through life, anyways, for what else is there?
ReplyDeleteVery nicely written, Dianne. I hope there is a great deal of balm now.
xo
erin
(thank you for coming my way with such kindness)
dianne, i want to tell you how glad i am to be at your blog, to read this tribute to your Mother. i am sorry for your loss and it's obvious your love and memories will be forever solid.
ReplyDeletesomeone recently mentioned the phrase 'hole in my heart' and i think that's what happens when we lose someone so dear.
and yet, love expands.
love
kj
Your Mom had a beautiful smile...
ReplyDeleteThat is so powerful and touching. I'm in the process of losing my mother, an inch at a time.
ReplyDeleteYes! Accessible, conflict, resolution! Wonderful work, Dianne.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry for your loss...and, yes, goodbye is too final...
ReplyDeleteThis poem made me weep...it brought back memories of my brother's passing...and how I never said goodbye to him either...our last words were "...until later..."
she is so beautiful...
ReplyDeletei don't know what to say, except that i wish to give you a hug...
i take pictures because i want to remember everything - and perhaps it is the same with poems - she is here, in your words, in you...