Tuesday, October 22, 2013

For Natalie

I received word yesterday that my father's first cousin was moved to hospice. She has been fighting cancer that has now moved into her colon and caused a perforation. Her sons and grandchildren and with her and giving her the care she needs.

I wrote a small piece to capture what I will remember about Natalie, because she, like all of us, deserves to be remembered.

******************

Natalie

In the summer, we'd see the wavy brown hair
Elegantly perched above your sun visor,
Neat wrap skirt tied
On your slim hip,
Tan, freckled shoulders
Reflecting the sunlight;
Pausing just a moment
While making the turn.

The golf spikes striking concrete
Would foreshadow your voice
As you turned to greet us,
Always smiling,
Always wanting to know the whole of everything
In five minutes or more.

In the fall, you'd arrive in all your finery,
The perfect earrings falling
Next to a perfectly framed face,
Icing-drop cookies in hand,
With stories to tell
And questions to pose.

Golden bronze-glinted fingers
Flew, here and away,
To punctuate tales of summers
And children
And deals
And gatherings gone by
And family.

AWJ
10/22/13