Wednesday, November 30, 2016

A Wave of Grief Takes Me By Surprise


Pablo Picasso, 1941


Mom didn’t trim her artichokes 
Though it might have been expected it was a nasty surprise 
When a leaf’s spiny tip pricked my finger drawing blood 
I learned to be wary
She guided my hand as I held the knife 
to cut out the tangle that guarded the heart
With her intent I do it now

After supper I cut a mango to share with my son
“Want to gnaw the pit?” “Nah, no pit”  
There was never mango in my mother’s kitchen
A wave of grief takes me by surprise
Then I remember a lifetime ago 
I mistook pit for seed and said,
“A man plants a pit in the woman to grow a baby”
My mother laughed, repeating my gaffe a million times

It’s good to remember her laughter 

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