On My Mother's Side
My
mother never told me
mother never told me
The
one thing I'd 'a listened to most.
one thing I'd 'a listened to most.
Diagnosed
with cancer (7 years before it killed her.)
with cancer (7 years before it killed her.)
Deciding
to keep it to herself,
to keep it to herself,
She
did exactly what it wanted -
did exactly what it wanted -
Believing
it was for her children's benefit, how would she refuse?
it was for her children's benefit, how would she refuse?
Besides
my mother came from a family of secrets
my mother came from a family of secrets
Dark
Sicilian secrets emanated from
Sicilian secrets emanated from
Every
Sunday dinner table that ever was
Sunday dinner table that ever was
Ebb
Flow Echo Repeat
Flow Echo Repeat
Dance
through generations none of us immune
through generations none of us immune
free
from all the ancient stories
from all the ancient stories
could
have held the woman who gave me birth
have held the woman who gave me birth
cried
any tears together
any tears together
faced
fear until it became compassion
fear until it became compassion
looked
into her eyes knowing it was goodbye
into her eyes knowing it was goodbye
and
that there would never be another word between us
that there would never be another word between us
from; The Women Retrospective, by pdlyonspoet@yahoo.co.uk
