When I was three-
I think-
(I was too young to note my age)
My great grandmother lay dying
Cancer-
Lungs.
She didn’t know back then,
And neither did they
That the cigarettes would do that
Well
That’s what I was told.
She lay in her bed
And I do remember
I approached
And I sang
I sang her a silly song
About animal crackers, lions, tigers,
And loops and soup
I did I swear
And I dragged my child nails-
Barely even longer than the pads of my fingers-
I gently traced them over her arm
In a way I somehow knew would be comfortable.
I remember-
I do
I remember her smiling
I remember my sister
Afraid to approach
Afraid of what she somehow knew was death
I don’t remember how old I was
But it is one of my first
My first memories
The animal crackers
The soup
The lions and tigers
And loop-de-loops.
Poetry
1 Likes
1212 Views
Share: