Grieving in May | 2

Grief, Mother, poetry 1 Minute

I wrote this poem for my mother some years before she died. She was 91 when she died and had had a long, happy life. This poem celebrates her light heart.

I remember the rustle

Of the red, exotic petticoat

The pick of a parcel

From America

Delight crackled in her hair

Exploded in a sudden flush

On her alabaster skin

The lighthouse sweep and beam

Of her glad eyes

Lit us all, haloed the room

Where we stood in a row

To admire

Long left that room, that house

The woman has gathered her years

Carefully, tucked them primly away

Scented and folded neatly

Facing the rest

With a lifted chin

A grin and a new hat

The glow of the red petticoat

About her still.

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Published by Pink Roses

I live in Dublin in Ireland and raised a family here. I'm retired now, from work, and from parenting, although grandchildren are huge in my life. There are many beautiful river walks right beside where I live, which is reflected in the poetry and haikus that I write. I also take a lot of photographs on my phone. I'm not a photographer at all but I love to capture trees and plants in various weathers. In 2020 I published a collection of interlinked short stories - "We All Die in the End" which is available from Amazon in paperback and on kindle. The reviews on Amazon and Goodreads are very good, which is encouraging. Earlier this year I published a collection of poetry, "Minus One", which, more or less, charts my life from childhood through to old age. It is also available from Amazon in both formats. And finally, two children's books, "Felix Finds Out", and "Ghosts in Trouble" have just been uploaded to Amazon in both formats as well. Suitable for children 8-11. elizabethmerry51@gmail.com @elizabethmerry1 on Twitter @elizabethmerry on Instagram https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elizabeth-Merry/e/B087NSPN1W/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

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11 thoughts on “Grieving in May | 2”

  5. There’s so much movement and energy in this memory of your mother! It’s amazing how we often remember a particular detail, like a hat or a red petticoat, which anchors us to that particular moment when the loved one was still with us…

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