Mother Changes Form
A bonfire’s extravagant
flap or the soft
orange ember, last
little campfire twig?
Endglow.
My archangel of slow
burn & ash — Will she
play Chopin in a time
warp where mothers never
die & everything’s flickering
taffeta, where everything’s
the northern lights? Hospice
vigil, slow drip. Hands
toes & earlobes
like tip of damselfly. God
doesn’t speak, but the nurse
whispers, Hold her hand,
watch for rattled
breathing. Now is the time.
Get as close as you can to the tadpole
sheen of her eyes. End stage means
she is moonlight in a glass
of water. She’s an escapade —
21 again & she’s at the lake
lighting Roman candles, smoking
Chesterfields & chugging bottled
beer. Sorry, in a rush,
she whispers. In her smooth
blue sedan she drives away, sunlight
beaming off bumper & grille.
17 thoughts on "Mother Changes Form"
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slip away
into water
to become
water-
as water
ever was.
tip of damselfly! amazing.
nice work linda. thanks for sharing your work this month.
You bet, Dustin. It’s been so much fun getting to know you through your work!
Amazing poem. Such rich and unexpected language.
Thank you.
Linda, this is beautiful eulogy and contemplation of the light. Thank you for your deft gift of poetry. I have been listening to every word.
Endglow! A new word for me, in this dark, dappled context. Thank you, Linda, for the gifts of your mind & soul this month. I’m proud to know you.
Takes my breath away.
Hauntingly beautiful, Linda. Take care – hope to meet you some day! I’ve absolutely loved reading your poems this month. I’ll miss them!
It’s been a pleasure reading your work this month. This piece is lovely and thoughtful, evocative and deep.
she’s like lexpomo…in her smooth
blue sedan she drives away, sunlight
beaming off bumper & grille
What a gorgeous, imaginative poem for this life-altering moment. Love: “She is moonlight in a glass of water”… and the escapade… “Sorry, in a rush…”
This: Get as close as you can to the tadpole sheen of her eyes. // End stage means // she is moonlight in a glass
of water. What a delicate way to talk about something so heart wrenching. As always, I love getting to see your mind at work. Thank you Linda.
Heartbreakingly beautiful.
Like:
Hospice
vigil, slow drip. Hands
toes & earlobes
like tip of damselfly. God
doesn’t speak, but the nurse
whispers, Hold her hand,
watch for rattled
breathing. Now is the time.
Get as close as you can to the tadpole
sheen of her eyes. End stage means
she is moonlight in a glass
of water. She’s an escapade —
21 again & she’s at the lake
You said so much in so few words…a gifted poet! Thx for sharing your work and giving inspiration!
Haunting & heartbreaking, yet exquisitely beautiful as well. Thanks for sharing this gem.
this poem brings me to tears and a lump in my throat, just beautiful
This poem moves and delights. What rich work you’ve done this month! Have so enjoyed your poems and your comments.
An exquisite poem, Linda! Such surprising and creative
language – “moonlight in a glass of water”! Wow! An “escapade”, driving away in a blue sedan. It gives death a dignity, a defiance – “in a rush”. One of the best poems about end of life I have ever read! Way to end LexPoMo with a bang!!