Monday, October 12, 2009

M=Mom for ABC Wednesday

Four years ago my mom had cancer. It was a lymphoma that presented itself in her thyroid. They operated and she, surprising her doctors, survived. I spent part of my summer vacation that year in Florida taking care of her and wrote this poem in the airplane on the way down there.
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This Isn’t a Poem

The sunrise looks like
an apricot river as I gaze
out the airplane window.
I wish I were flying
to Aruba instead of to Florida
to take care of my mom
and her cancer.
I would sink my feet
into brown sugar sand
instead of trying to make them
fit under the seat in front
of me.

My mom is a sick child
courageously coughing
the cancer
that is chewing her up.

She is my hero
and her sunrise tastes
like blood
and smells like death.

Nevertheless, she shines with strength.

I wish I were a magician
and could wave my wand
to make her better.

This isn’t a poem about loss, though;
it’s a poem about the thread of love
and how we sew the quilts of our lives together
with stitches of willpower and caring.

8 comments:

if said...

about the thread of love....commitment of love...!!

Yellow Tulip said...

good one dear..ur mom really a strong spirit...god bless

Sylvia K said...

A lovely tribute!

photowannabe said...

A beautiful and touching tribute to your valiant Mom.
I pray that you can make every moment count while you are there with her.

Tumblewords: said...

Lovely, Linda! Mother's are so special. Mine's been gone a long time and I still yearn to talk to her, see her smile and feel her hugs.

Q said...

You are a wonderful daughter!
May your Mum continue to be well.
Sherry

Zephyr said...

beautiful! made me think of my own mother and how much she has sacrificed for me to make me the person i am today... the line that struck a chord with me the most was "how we sew the quilts of our lives together". I always thought that once I left home, I would barely talk to my mother, but now, its like we are best friends.

I hope your mother is always in good health and that the bond between you may only continue to grow! :)

Roger Owen Green said...

That old chestnut M is for the many things she gave me... comes to mind. Glad the treatment worked out.

Linda's Poems