MOTHER’S DAY
mother’s day a day of love and honor the red finch sang
a delightful song yesterday for my mom
a hopeful song just outside my door it took my breath away
i have told you before about my mom told you how she loved poetry
balanced her love of family home, work & church
a tiny woman the baby of her family she has joined the ancestors
a great family reunion picnic on the ground the sign read
on hand painted board the drums silent a bouquet on her resting place
her eyes a blue-gray on that day she died the sky the same
after her death a cold wind blew in
touching our hearts leaving them stone cold
it was december the monarch butterflies with their orange wings
feeding on the last blossoms of her loquat tree it was the last leg of the journey
on their way home to mexico when they left my mother went with them
time passes so quickly it seems like yesterday we were together
hearts broken sharing the loss today i hardly know you
need an interpreter to translate your words bitter/brittle
fall to the ground leaking venom each uttered
as if to kill the sound of fingernails scratch the blackboard
i cover my ears pick up the brush begin a new painting
dip my brush into the color orange in memory of my mom draw lines
like pathways to the after world surrounded by butterflies symbols of transformation
May 14, 2017
13 comments:
What a glorious tribute - butterflies really are something to treasure as is being absorbed in your art work
"Surrounded by butterflies / symbols of transformation." What a wonderful mother you had, Annell. This is a beautiful poem. I like, when you are remembering that other person, who changed, that you pour yourself into your work. That is the best antidote. I love the butterflies in this poem.
Luv the orange paint and the butterflies. A wonderful way to bring memories alive.
Happy Mother's Day Annell and thanks for dropping by my Sunday Standard today
Much love...
Oh this....."dip my brush into the color orange in memory of my mom draw lines
like pathways to the after world" gave me goosebumps. It's such emotionally compelling writing and the idea is one that resonates so well with anyone who has lost a loved one and wished desperately for a way to find a path to them across that nasty barrier of Death.
Like the way you are reaching out through orange pathways..finding that connection.
I love how you tied that orange color from that time to your painting... the best possibility for Mother's day.
What a lovely Mother's Day tribute. I love the thought "the Monarchs left and mother went with them."
I love the orange paint and the butterflies.. sigh.. beautifully executed.
In the last photo taken of my Mom, she is wearing orange. Thank you for this tribute,
Elizabeth
Incredible patchwork style of wonderfully weaved, as we go up and down side ways and back again poetry. I will continue to support your creative, and original style.
ZQ
Loved this. The last stanza, especially beautiful ... the act of painting: such an eloquent expression of capturing ~something~
What heart breaking sadness there is in your words painting a different picture as we read on. However we are each ourselves and our lives must be ours to own, so your brush tells your story so well.
This is such a lovely tribute to your Mother. The grief still lingers but you show your acceptance and remembrance with your words and your brush. Beautiful.
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