Poem of the Day: “Your Great Grandma” by Norma Wilson

Songs of Eretz Poetry Review is pleased to present “Your Great Grandma” by Norma Wilson.  A brief bio of Professor Wilson may be found here:  http://eretzsongs.blogspot.com/2015/12/poem-of-day-mummies-above-guanajuato-by.html.

Your Great Grandma

Norma Wilson

for Laura

 

The Christmas I was six,

Aunt Nell bought matching dresses

of red, green and white plaid

from the Sears Catalogue

for my sister and me.

Grandma spread them

on a large sheet of paper

and drew patterns.

She cut out the pieces,

pinned them to yellow fabric,

and made two more dresses,

each a size larger, with pockets,

for Dianne and me.

Remember the plaid dress

you wore for kindergarten graduation?

You wore the yellow one too.

Now it’s faded,

with a heart-shaped patch on the skirt.

The last time I saw Grandma,

she couldn’t leave her bed.

I wanted her to meet you, so I laid

you beside her and said,

I loved those blackberry pies

you baked in the woodstove.

The thorns scratched as I followed

you, squeezing through bushes

to pick the berries.  But those

were the best pies I ever ate.

Grandma no longer spoke,

but her hand reached over

to gently hold mine.

Poet’s Notes:  A dozen years ago I was delighted when my Aunt Nancy gave me another dress Grandma had made while she still lived on the farm.  It’s the shirtwaist style she always wore, and when I tried it on I found that it fit me.  Someday I may write a poem about that one.

Editor’s Note:  What a beautiful story in verse this is, as well as a touching elegy.  The metaphor of the blackberry pie, for me standing for love and pain, is breathtaking.  “Your Great Grandma,” was first published as as “Grandma” in Black Hills Literary Journal: The Family Issue (Black Hills Writers Group, 2014).