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Open Poetry #12
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My Mother's Clothes
| Open Poetry #12 |
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My Mother's Clothes |
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Trillium 
since 2001-03-09
Posts 12098Idaho, USA 
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My mother died the other day. We're giving all her things away, except for odds and ends we find bring special memories to mind. A cobalt bowl, my sister took. Displayed it in a lofty nook. Bought on the day that she was born, upon a breathless, summer morn. We both kept pictures and we try To look at them and not to cry. I took a wine carafe and stand I always thought was very grand. There are six glasses, short and squat. It was a gift my father bought. So many relics of a life That shared both happiness and strife, now gone to usefulness again. There's just her clothes and they remain. What shall I do with mother's clothes? I've searched for answers, Heaven knows. If you have a good suggestion, would you help me with this question, that makes me sad and makes me weep, yet I can't give nor bear to keep my mother's clothes! |
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| © Copyright 2001 Betty Lou Hebert - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Mother_Earth Senior Member
since 2000-11-20
Posts 13701/2 year Texas & 1/2 year Michigan |
Trillium, my heart goes out to you. I had this job a few years ago. My mom's clothes were not in very good shape, so my daughters and my sister and I decided to give anything worth giving to a nursing home. So many of those people never even see family and are always in need for wearable clothing. It may help to know your wonderful mother is still giving to others. Many hugs for you and family, ME |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
over the years I've kept from harm my father's sweater, keeps me warm... every once in a while, I am very, very glad I did not get rid of ALL of my mother's or father's clothes... but giving them away to worthy charities is the next best thing... |
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Joyce Johnson
since 2001-03-10
Posts 9912Washington State |
Yes Betty this is always a problem and you have written about it in your usual inimitable manner. I saved one of my mothers old robes to snuggle up in. Some of our granddaughters took Stan's Pendleton shirts and coats. I am sure he would have chuckled over his college girls going off to class in his old clothes. Everything else except for special keepsakes I gave to the Veteran's his pet charity. I also kept my Mom's hats and my granddaughters all want those so I gave them to their mother, my daughter, to worry it out. Joyce |
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Trillium
since 2001-03-09
Posts 12098Idaho, USA |
Thank you all for your response. I did end up giving the clothes to a church that provides clothing for abused women. I'm sure it would have made my mother happy. This is not a recent event, but I'm just now writing about it. Betty Lou Hebert |
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redwriter1 Member
since 1999-07-22
Posts 480Franklin, TN |
Made me truly wonder.. what i would do .. if my son or daughter or husband died.. what "WOULD" I do .... with clothes? Such a small thing... left over... with no meaning to anyone but me. I'm trying to find a way to put into words that feeling of .. helplessness.. you feel.... when they're just "clothes" but.. and I wonder how other people deal with it>? There's a song idea here somewhere.. i just can't put my finger on it. What we wear is so "little" of us... but. i guess there's a reason people pay 1,000's of dollars for famous peoples clothes. They "lived" in them.! (sigh) I know if my daughter died it would be a long time before anything of hers left my house.. (she's 13) This piece really made me think hard.. not many things do that.. thank you for posting it... Kay-lynn |
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Trillium
since 2001-03-09
Posts 12098Idaho, USA |
Dear Redwriter: Thanks for reading my poem and I appreciate all your comments. i don't know why the clothes were such a problem for me after dealing with everything else surrounding the death of my mother, but they truly were. I didn't want to see anyone else wearing them......selfish thought I know........and I didn't want to give them away, but they were a constant reminder. I was glad when I finally made the decision I did. We lost our only grandson when he was almost ten and I still have some of his baby and toddler clothes. I seldom look at them as it is still so painful, but haven't had the courage to dispose of them. Betty Lou Hebert |
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