Poems

Re: For my mother who passed yesterday

islandtime — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 00:33:49 GMT

Dear Martin - A lovely poem and a very fitting tribute. I'm sorry your mother is gone.

Re: Editor's Pick . .

denny — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 23:47:03 GMT

I added two more lines to the second stanza of "Dreams" at you suggestion.

d;-)

Re: Editor's Pick . .

Lunesta — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 23:33:59 GMT

Thanks, Denny. I'm not sure mg uses those pages, however, either way. :-) I'll ask him when we talk.

Editor's Pick . .

denny — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 23:20:24 GMT

Actually, I found it under "Highest Rated".

d;-)

Re: fyi, martin, your post got chosen as an

Lunesta — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 23:09:35 GMT

I'll try to explain it another time, pref. on the phone. Am sure you all are beat. Hang in there, and know I am with you, mon ami fidel du longtemps. WR sends his regards, from Jerusalem. As ever, ton shiksami.

Re: fyi, martin, your post got chosen as an

martingreene — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 23:06:51 GMT

Say, where do I find this thing about my post. I'm tired and don't know where to look. Thanks. Long afternoon of "shiva," period of mourning will last 7 days.

Martin, I'm forwarding from w n c

MaryAnn — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 19:42:55 GMT

Her Slate account is temporarily down, so she asked me via e-mail to post this to you.

Dear Martin,
I'm so sorry you've lost your dear mother. She was blessed by your devotion to her in her old age. You were a good son. May you be at peace. May your peace give you renewed strength to care for your dad.

waltz n capsize

fyi, martin, your post got chosen as an

Lunesta — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:25:10 GMT

"Editor's PIck" by the current Editor(s). It's listed on the main Fray page. There should be a checkmark, as well, but I don't see it visually.

Perhaps you will write another fine poem, at some point, about E's funeral today? Glad you're home safely & how is Dad doing today? Talk soon, "L."

Re: Segovia Bach now sounds bittersweet

martingreene — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:20:24 GMT

It was hard. Read the poem. My three sons spoke about their beloved Grandma. What was hardest, of course, was lowering of the plain pine box into the pre-dug, by custom, each mourner shovels dirt down onto the box. The sound of it. So, it's after 2 pm, and we are all home at my dads aprartment, with a view of the Statue of Liberty, the Verrazano bridge, the Coney Island parachute tower. Thanks all for every thiing.

Re: Segovia Bach now sounds bittersweet

martingreene — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 10:28:48 GMT

Great thanks to you all. As Hamlet put, "the readiness is all.'" I guess I'm ready.

Segovia Bach now sounds bittersweet

Galatea — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 05:36:03 GMT

martingreene:

Visiting His Mother

She doesn’t say anything when he comes in
and says, “Hi, how are you doing? Did you
have lunch yet?” She smiles and nods yes,
but does not speak.

He says “I brought you some nice stuff, I
brought you chocolate, and do you know that we
are coming here for Mother’s Day? We’ll
have broiled salmon, like you used to make.”
Why did he say that? Why talk about what
she used to do? She says nothing, just looks
at him, her son, who is back again, to fill
the medicine boxes, and change the radio
from news to music.

She likes it. She smiles when he puts on
the classical station. Later in the living
room, he will put on a new CD he thinks
she will like. It will be the Segovia Bach,
which will remind her of how he played
guitar, when he still lived in her home,
her son.

On Mother’s day, don’t have the aide come,
not that day. Just us, without the TV on
all day. He hates it that the woman is
always there, but she keeps her clean
and takes her for the walk, and he tells
himself, not the nursing home, not her
in a nursing home, where they keep
them in the wheelchair, and they have to watch
TV all afternoon.

How long will it take, he wonders? But
she smiles when he shows her the pictures
of her great grandchildren. She is happy,
and he comes every week. Again, his father
says he is the happiest man in the world.

At the elevator, he remembers he
forgot to say good bye.

martingreene © 2004

***********

Dear Martin,

This poem has always been very visual for me. Every word in every line was like visiting your parents at their apartment with you. I've always enjoyed the trip. Now it has evolved into a beautiful tribute for your mother and I find it very fitting that you forgot to say good bye, because there is no good bye...just love forever.

I left my condolences on your other thread <link>

~ Galatea

peace

Daysman — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 02:44:14 GMT

bet you won't get through it without choking up....

it took a while for me to stop crying just to reply....

peace

Re:warm thoughts go out your way MG

misskeenish — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 23:03:52 GMT

sorry to hear of your mother passing much condolence are with you~

At the elevator, he remembers . .

denny — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:29:47 GMT

Saying "good bye" is never easy. Thnks for sharing this with us, Martin - beautifully done.

d;-)

Re: For my mother who passed yesterday

Lunesta — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 22:07:16 GMT

As you know, that one has always been one of my favorites. But you ask, "What is harder than this?"

I might answer, 'losing a child.'

My heart is with you, dear buddy. As ever, ton shiksami.