Tired now…so very tired
I’ve not ever seen her show it
Not like this.
Her glassy eyes stare longingly
From the shade of the front veranda
To the river where
For years she has buried her secrets.
The sea cleanses, purifies, makes whole again
She remains adamant
That so too will she, return to the sea
Like the yard sale Jesus
Hiding horns, abomination
Bought for three dollars
Thirty pieces of silver
For that was what Judas paid
Tossed with all her might
Shattering against the rocks
Blistering in the sun
Till the waves of high tide
Rolled
And made the abomination again whole.
She shifts in her rocker
Hoping her pain goes unnoticed
Tired of the doting
Offers of assistance she never wanted.
82 years, and every day lived
Road tripping to the middle of nowhere
Never minding the outhouses
Never caring for the tourist traps
Just seeking that path less travelled
Seeking the next song, the next poem
The next prophecy, the next
New Age.
A life spent alone
Despite friends, family
On her own
Since the day one slap
Made her say “No more”
She was in this world
Yet so far from it,
Above it
So much more than any gave her credit for
Until, weeks after
That day on the porch
When she dared me to live the life I wanted to and
We fell into her writing
Her world
Finally realizing
The value of the treasure
That returned to the sea
On the back draft of low tide
When she up and flew away.
It's MeetingTheBar at dVersePoets where Victoria Slotto is talking about some real characters. You'll have to drop in for a pint of poetry to see what I'm talking about.
18 comments:
Gorgeous imagery. I don't know if you wrote it or I only imagined her beside the Bay of Fundy with the amazing divergence at high and low tides. I can imagine her indeed transforming and flying out to sea.
Wondrous and wonderful!
incredible overview of who she was, and still is to you. we all can use a muse, a mentor, a friend that will dare us to live up to our potential, will read our poetry, and finally let us read theirs.
Heartrending poem about Vi who must have been such a huge influence, inspiration in your life. The first part, the tiredness, reminds me of my almost-92 year old mother who's leaving us by inches instead of all at once.
you rocked this. an incredible influence she must have been.
Thanks for sharing her--her tiredness, fierce independence, Jesus-like smashing of the money-lenders in the temple, and longing for the sea where things are rejuvenated and made whole again--I tell you she is vivid to me tho I have no idea of how she looks. I know her spirit through your love and generosity, and I believe "she up and flew away." Thank you.
Like the yard sale Jesus
Hiding horns, abomination
Bought for three dollars
Thirty pieces of silver
For that was what Judas paid...wow really like that tash....and she sounds like quite the lady...and meant much to you...listen to her...take that dare....
the short lines added a nice punch to the story... lovely
The precise imagery, the quick turns, all serve like blows to the solar plexus in the characterization. Stark, real, and effective.
I loved reading about this woman and could have continued! She obviously was very important.
For me, a commentary if you will on living alone and how she stayed above the fray, lived on a hill looking from a porch toward the sea...quite a woman to know yet she let few people know her...lovely
A loving and personal portrait which brings the character truly back to life.
Her influence becomes almost palpable in your lines.
You can sense the importance she held
so very touching, with much to learn from -
thanks so much!
Simply wonderful, I'm too choked up to elaborate. :) :) :)
Well written, very meaningful piece. I wish I had known this amazing woman. Thank you for sharing a bit of her with us.
I adore this stanza
'Since the day one slap
Made her say “No more”
She was in this world'
Beautiful. She'd be proud.
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