Tuesday, April 21, 2009

For My Wonderful Daughter

My daughter's had a practically unbearable past week, I said to her if you wrote it all down no one would believe the amount of ill health, stress, sadness and grief you've had to bear. But bear it she did and we both escaped from our lives to have dinner together last night. It's important to celebrate our survival skills. For in spite of the odds we come out ahead with a teary grin sometimes.

I imagine the poem and the picture I took in the garden on Saturday will resonate with her. It certainly does with me.


I took the last of your flowers
And wrapped them in a blue cloth
And laid them on the chair
That still bears
The ghost of your body.
You sat there, fingers steepled
Under your chin as if to give
More importance to the words
That came out of you, all
Weighted with your ending.
While mine were just beginning.

8 comments:

  1. Sorry to hear she's been having such a hard time. One thing's for sure, she's exceptionally lucky to have such a wonderful mother.

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  2. Sorry about your daughter's tough time, but good that she has the resilience to cope with it all. She must have got some of that resilience from you.

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  3. A great, caring parent makes up for a whole lot.

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  4. Difficult times are made bearable when we know that somebody cares. Your words are full of caring.

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  5. I feel ridiculous for complaining about my own life when your own daughter goes through her own grief and bears up to it. She must be a woman with a flexible spine, like you.

    XOX
    Irene

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  6. Oh! Beautiful post, Mary, beautiful photo, beautiful poem, and oh such a beautiful relationship with your daughter. Thank you for posting this.
    love,
    v

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  7. this is lovely, the photo and the poem, and i hope the weeks get better for your wonderful daughter. conor's right, she's lucky to have such a mother.

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  8. Thank you for the lovely photo and poem. Well done.

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