tribute to my grandmother
it was placed upon the shelf
unkempt from long neglect
in the company of other books
in need of our respect
it's binding cracked and lifeless
it's pages yellowed leaves
I finally read her memoirs
I finally knew her grief
my grandmother was lovely
beautiful. sublime
her writing style spellbinding
a woman out of time
she gathered many clippings
cut out many texts
from a bygone era
each better than the next!
I finally reached a memoir
written by her hand
she was a bitter woman
but now I understand
she was a great musician
but her parents wouldn't pay
to get her further training
nor help in any way
they wanted her to marry
but strongly disapproved
of the man that grandma wanted
and they would not be moved
he was striking! handsome!
his parents very rich
but he had a little problem
his fingers had the "itch"
back then they were called "kleptos"
and it was a shame
to ever be involved with them
much less take up their name!
so this lovely lady
married late in years
no longer a debutant
a by-word to her peers
she wed "beneath her station"
bitter and very sad
she didn't love my grandfather
her true bow was a cad
she died in quiet misery
unlauded and unsung
her memoirs mouldering away
as though she wasn't born
I hope now she's happy
that she's finally free
she is now immortal
she lives on in *me*
SoulSurvivor
written 10/25/2013
rewritten 12/8/2015
Grandma's memoirs were actually lost
but I used to take care of her
I know her whole, very sad, story.
~~~<♡>~~~