by Velvet Verbosity.
Silk Dress
"Come into my room
help me choose the dress.
Is it too morbid of me to ask?"
Your first choice a fuchsia dress
silk, long-sleeved, belted.
"Is it too garish for a funeral?"
You decided:
wear what you liked,
bright color a deliberate
counterpoint to your fading.
Final statement
by a legend of stylish dressing.
"Perfect choice, Mom."
"Guess what? It's a size 10!"
We laughed at your perverse
pleasure, loss of weight
even to cancer
size 10, even in your casket.
It had its intended effect.
Mourners said how lovely
your dress was, how so like you.
(Mary H. Warren in loving memory of Mary M. Harvey)
Very moving, Grandmother (me too!). I really like it. My daughter had breast cancer three years ago, at age 33. She is now cancer-free, but your poem struck very close to home.
ReplyDeleteMoving piece. Well done.
ReplyDeleteMake sure you leave a link to this post in the comments of the post which defined the challenge word.
If you don't know how to do that, email me at
lou.lohman@gmail.com
Lovely.
ReplyDeleteI loved it Aunt Mary. It's very moving and I'm glad I could get a little incite to how Nana was.
ReplyDeleteAunt Mary, thank you for sharing that poem. It brings tears to my eyes thinking of Nana, and remembering her this morning.
ReplyDeleteMe too Sweetie.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, so like her indeed *smile* I love how your artistry makes me think of the two of you, laughing, looking at the fushia of the dress, noting the belt, and trying to picture Nana lying down in it.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't until Nana got sick that I really understood how important it is to take in those memories we've got of the people we love and hold on to them. Not just the last ones close to the end, but the little ones that happen at random times. And to share them! Your gift of sharing your memories in your poetry is beautiful - and I love that we can share in the memory!