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Grandma

by Derek Gregory

The day after grandma was buried we stood around a rusted trashcan
burning the subtle reminders of her.
The asthma canisters and the medicine bottles full of colorful pills
contained the essence of what was her life.
The medicine meant to give her life exploded throwing ash into the air.
The day before she died her white frail hand engulfed by tubes
clutched grandpa's scarred hand.

That night everybody but me saw the presence of death in her eyes, I saw my life
reflected in her tired eyes.
The white station wagon filled with us grandchildren bogged down in the mud of Lake Meredith.
All the grandchildren laughing as we dodged dragonflies the size of our childish hands
to free the stuck car.
Walking up the weathered white porch shaking the dust from our clothes,
waiting for grandpa to find the perfect switch.
Grandma asking why we ran away to Pueblo, none of wanted to admit
we didn't want a bath.
The warm starry night all of us grandchildren slept in the backyard,
the older children warned by grandma not to scare us younger ones.
But morning all of us little ones laid tangled scared on the living room floor,
wondering if the boogie man had really been here last night.

Today as I look a big tumbleweed floats over the dry lake bed we once played on.
Grandpa and grandma are buried side by side in Lake View cemetery,
the thought almost funny because the lake is gone,
only the dry white outline is left.
I lean over and pick the weeds that have grown up through the white ornamental rocks
covering their dirt graves.

03/12/2003

Posted on 03/13/2003
Copyright © 2024 Derek Gregory

Member Comments on this Poem
Posted by Anne Engelen on 03/13/03 at 01:46 PM

I love the story telling of this. How life simply goes on , yet memories can stay so vividly present! Wonderful!

Posted by Thomas K. Hunt on 04/02/03 at 06:24 AM

Wonderful imagery of fond memories, Memories that have made your life what it is...simply brilliant

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