Sunday, May 26, 2013

Even though



Even though she is well into her cronehood,

now that it is full blown spring
                with birds of all kinds waking up at 4:30 in the morning
                and the daffodils fading and tulips taking their place
                and the lilacs just breaking her heart with their tiny lavender blue flowers
                and, oh my god, their fragrance!

she finds it hard to remember and believe in Winter.

As she moves around the kitchen in the very early, still dark morning
                with the birds outside the window in raucous, noisy celebration of the coming dawn
                and the cats fed their special, early morning canned food,

she realizes that she has a great life.

She washes and puts away the custard cups with their little lids.
She used them yesterday to take sweet, pale yellow custard
to the women in her writing class. 

The eggs for the custard came from her own lovely hens
and the yolks were a stunning orange work of hen art. 

She is inordinately grateful for the heavy glass custard cups and the little lids
and the hens who give their eggs for the custard,
and the elderly, old lady cats who live with her. 

What a privilege to share her home with people of other species 
and to be able to afford to well care for these creatures.

Today she understands why old people move slowly.
Every joint hurts them and they move very consciously to avoid the pain.

And even though she can scarcely believe in old age for herself,
she feels it moving in.

But she appreciates the gifts it brings as well.
She doesn’t worry much any more about how she is perceived.

She knows that she knows many things just from having hung around for so long.

She trusts what she knows.

Yet, even now, when spring comes full blown,
she finds it hard to remember and believe in Winter.



Veda for The Poplar Grove Muse

5 comments:

  1. She is wise. She is beautiful. She is a woman for all seasons!! I want to thank her for this piece and the many gifts of her Being. BLR

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Darling BLR, you create and hold the space for our hearts to speak. I love and honor you. Veda

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  2. Veda, you have gotten to the heart of what I have in mind for my practicum:
    She worry much any more about how she is perceived. I may have to ask your permission to use this poem. You are a wise, wise woman.

    RS

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  3. Dear RS, I would be honored.

    ReplyDelete
  4. this is lovely Veda. like you! love and miss you. Liz

    ReplyDelete