Mom Has Gone
She left some time ago…
Where she went,
I don’t know.
Her body remains,
Her voice she retains…
Yet, her memories are gone,
And sadly, so his her song.
Mom was a singer extraordinaire,
The loss of her breast,
…just one;
It took her zest…
It took her sun!
Mom could talk…
And she could sing;
It was her joy…
It had this ring
…of youth!
Mom retains her roots, nevertheless;
Ask her to yodel
… she obliges with a smile.
Her silence is alarming;
for Mom always had every word…
ever so charming,
and so disarming!
That is gone…
and missed.
Who would know…
I’d miss the complaints
… the sarcasm and candor.
This quiet woman…
Whom says she remember my name;
Her only child
… although, it’s hard to say.
It’s the way, when asked …
Mom will agree, “Yes, I know her name…”
Yet, when tasked to recall
… Mom needs reminded of it all.
I wish she could remember
… her mezzo tones
…she shared so freely,
frequently.
And her natural way
… to make it pay,
to offer her thoughts
… on your way(s)!
Not too long ago,
.Mom came for a moment…
and made a joke.
It was a day of fun…
Mom had one, then.
This woman who embarrassed me so!
Now, I want her back . . .
to make my blush or
embarrass my crush . . .
or may me exclaim, “Oh Mom!”
She lost three husbands …
…and now herself.
Be at peace, Mom …
as you need. I miss you more . . .
then can be said . . .
you know me somewhere;
and when you must…
I trust . . .
You will sing again,
And I will hear that voice,
and know the choir above…
has the made the best choice!
Then, like my father …
You, too, will visit in my dreams …
… tell me stories of your Army days,
…your joking ways
…the love you say
… was just for me.
NOTE: My 88-year-old mother, a former opera singer, is in hospice/nursing home care in Florida. She has severe Dementia and Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer. She will yodel, if you ask. She has been legally blind for a few years with macular degeneration and glaucoma. She started the downhill in 2015, after her third husband (17 years married) died. She went through two bouts of breast cancer and some remission. Then, it came back and after the removal of one breast, after that, her Dementia was complete.
Mom served in the Army, sang with the USO, also, in the 1950s.
Love and light to your mom. This is a beautiful piece!
Thank you. It’s been a rough journey, especially with a powerful, naturally funny mother who enjoyed singing opera at my door — as a child — to wake me up for church! I hated it! LOL! And I was so embarrassed when she sang in grocery stores, the street, the school and wherever we were, she loved to “sing out”. She was talented, but as a kid, it seemed so embarrassing! Now, I miss all that fun and I turned out a lot like her! I miss her.
It’s funny I also remember the things my mom did that seemed embarrassing as a a child. I really do miss my mom she transitioned 4 years ago. Your piece made me think of her and how tough it was for her the last 10 years of her life. I can only say take it one day at a time and hold on to such precious memories.
Indeed. It is bittersweet to remember. And I do not know how her actual transition will be on me. And I thank you for that advice. One day at a time. And yes, it’s like going through loss through such illnesses and the actual transition.