She would be 89 years old today. I miss you and I love you.
St. Anthony at 87 years (sestina)
Sitting on the weathered flowery sofa surrounded by pain
the ripened face of a woman is always pointed at the door
trying to remember who comes to visit her today
her ears full of ugly sounds of death and old age
her skull once full of names and thoughts now empty and clear
the monster called Alzheimer’s came and took away her brain
A moment of pride filled her toes to brain
a new life made her feel as she had no more pain
the tiny face of her 10th grandchild, her admiration was so clear
late at night she would peer though the child’s bedroom door
She was 67 years of age
and she knew this child would live a better life, today
Sign on the wall, factory job- low wage long hours apply inside today
no other options in a new country with only knowledge of farms in her brain
she was 49 years of age
cooking cleaning, making house and home she tried so hard to ignore her pain
so proud her youngest born going off to college, and breaking down the doors
life here was not easy but her choice was always clear
Working hard at back breaking labor in the fields to make them clear
The sun was bright and hot out in Italy today
sweet, ignorant, school-less kids running in and out the door
She would sing beautiful songs to occupy her brain
A soul so young and full of life, but back and bones felt aches and pains
She was 28 years of age
She was 9 years of age
running and jumping though the wild fields, the air so clear
fell out of a tree one day red gushing down her leg but she hardly felt the pain
she wishes she could go to school with her brothers today
she kicks and she screams to her mother, yearning for something to exercise her brain
her mother keeps her hidden and working behind the kitchen door
A screaming woman, a husband running and slamming the door
She was not even one day of age
her tiny body pink and puffy fresh with a new and empty brain
struggling to push though her mother’s body, would she live? it was not clear
her lungs breathe deep and her cry booms out; there was a miracle today
her mother’s body full of joy even though still riddled with awful pain
remembering nothing but her current pain, looking and waiting for that opening door
her granddaughter visits her today; she is just 21 years of age
her options so open and clear knowledge and a college degree fills her brain
2 comments:
Beautiful, Stef. I love the way you wrote this going back in Nonna's life to the day she was born.
She is watching you and smiling...she is so very proud of you and the woman you have become.
(((hugs)))
i cried when it was done. really badly too. i miss her so much.
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