Something wicked, this Way comes
When sadness surrounds the Doldrums
Melancholy’s bit is Bitter, Sweet
Looking for mom’s face on the street
Praying as a child to find her and care
Streets of LA, sea of empty faces , cold stare
It’s strange, What we hold onto, cherish
Reminisce, of a loved one who perished
Unfinished business, Hardens the heart
Moments before, we were pulled apart
We find Silent comforts to cradle our mind
Where’d we come from what did we find?
Dealing with death’s passages of times
Needing help with our imaginary crimes
The first person I ever knew who died
She was 46 years young, my soul cried
My beloved mother Throat Cancer
Disenchanted asked God for the answer
Each second Every breath More Shallow
Then the one before, her face Hollow
Questioning The last time for this or that
Lapse memory, The Last time I fed her cat
Yet I never really paid attention
The uneasy emotions we never mention
Now, I pay attention to the smallest details
beauty in rain in hail that clean wet smell
The last thing I’ll ever mention
Having your full undivided attention
Mom needed all her children near
Leaving earth the biggest unknown fear
Feckless children weren’t around
Couldn’t be bothered wouldn’t be found
What to expect on the other side
Her guardian angel her ethereal Guide
Three days before mom died (her and I)
We were sitting on corner curb outside
Her words were soft, gentle and kind
I don’t worry about you in my mind
You’re like a cat You’ll have many lives
You’ll land on your feet not on the street
Her voice grew intense serious and brave
Listen to me Don’t go to my grave
You need to realize I won’t be there
Find comfort with others Grieve elsewhere
She knew in the crevices of her head
Funerals are for the living not the dead
Pretentious, pompous circumstance
Don’t cry a pity party, Sing and Dance
A gentle smile graced her face
Her wisdom a tear stain trace
Find something Spectacularly brilliant
That will remind you of me resilient
A remembrance you’ll see
put it in your house, There I’ll Be
I found a clear quartz crystal cat with claws
Amethyst heart Dangled between its paws
Daily Family walks Nonchalantly By
A dust collector they see with a naked eye
I see life’s memories in vivid detail
Mother’s Grim Reaper rang her bell
Inspired songs;
1) fire and rain by James Taylor
2) He stopped loving her today,
sang by George Jones
Written by Braddock and Puttman
3) go rest on the Mountain by Vince Gill
4) tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton
5) Live like you were dying
by Tim McGraw
Songs of morning and say goodbye. These are sacred so you don’t need to be religious to have a song universally touch your heart and touch your soul. Each one of these songs has a backstory of death and dealing with that pain. If you listen to the backstory on each of those songs, you’ll hear this song differently. This is why, when I read poetry, I always want to hear the backstory I get a wealth of information, and a deeper understanding of the poem and poet.
Sorry for the lengthy footnote, but I guarantee it’s worth the read
My mother had terminal cancer she did not want the children to see her dwindle away. She left us five children with my father. I was so young I thought she died any time I would mention her I would get a kick in the shin or a elbow in my stomach, learn later, my older siblings in life are now the truth. My younger brother and I did not until I was 10 years old. She tried to see his children. Mother said no I asked my sister who is that person and a small boy she said mom. I prayed every day to God. When I’m a grown-up, let me find her and let her know I care and she made a good person . Grandma (her mother) wanted me to take up with a private investigators left off after seven years of searching for her. (grandma was dying )They had some leads I was 20 years old. I found my mother when I was 21. I had been to every Alley in Skid Row and places young women should not go alone. I had a friend at know downtown LA the roughnecks. The last place of all the places we had been for months with a thrift store women shelter For personal necessities. I showed the photo went through this story to my surprise. The lady clerk pointed to the back of the room.
I took my mother home. I thought she’d be living with me now not on the street but on the third day, she said, I have to go home or they will give my room away she actually was living in a Victorian hospice with Catholic nuns. The headmistress came and asked me if I knew what was going on. Of course I did not because mom didn’t tell me. She told my mom was dying . she only had three months to live. I prayed just let her be alive. I didn’t pray for more. God gave her to me, and then he took her away. I was angry for a long time. And then I realized God gave me three month to love and be a peace complete unfinished business. It Took me a long time to find my way back to Jesus . so when you see a homeless person , that’s a mother or father, uncle a grandma or grandpa those are people. Some of my family could not make peace with things until they knew she was dying. It was sickening toward my mom didn’t care about going to rodeo drive. They wanted to put a huge angel statue over her grave $25,000 a time ago I said no give the money to the nuns.
BLT Websters word of the day Challenge
Feckless 9-29-24
A person who is weak for ineffective