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Open Poetry #34
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Silence of Knowledge, 1992
| Open Poetry #34 |
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Silence of Knowledge, 1992 |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart 
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Silence of Knowledge, 1992 It was a summer in extraordinary fold, when your visit that June ~ made more than special ~ for you held a first grandchild in arms, not saying to anyone that her wee weight pained you, but in holding her close, you winced ~ I saw it in your eyes. No word from you, no silent utterances like those you and I had shared from before, for you would do this act, this connection of life just to hold on a little longer. After all, you smiled in her smile, your first granddaughter, seeing more than any other could see, and felt the miracles begin, again. ~*~ We sat at the dining table, you and I, a game of cards, play to win, I wasn’t your daughter then, the spirit of competition high and you, set for blood sport, spirits, and conquest would be yours, you had to have the final hand. No way would I set your deal. Momentary relapse slipped me back to black and white in ’61, when you big-girled me with an overnight, you at work, a night shifting in answering phones that held the unseen from fear of dark shadows and late-night fevers, promises in a kinder voice that yes, doctor would soon call back, yes he would, now hold the babe in tepid bath, motherly advice, I remember, mothering those who had none to call… you had the b&w TV on, and I silently watching, you not knowing the b&w horror on that late late late show (which must have been 40’s, maybe even from when I was born) as it came on, with dark caves and people who seemed silver in color, gleaming from being exposed to radiation ~ you never knew it frightened me, you never saw me show my hand in shaking trepidation that I questioned this as our world… while you were taking care of those in need ~*~ The snap of card in win for gin brought me to look up again, see you in a summer’s light, pouring in on a face in fear behind the gray of determined, set, win. I had wanted to win, once, when younger, to put your arm back as my brother had father, to say “this is my strength, this is my time,” but this was not my time, for you had already given that to me, in coming to my home, in looking around, and acknowledging, you win. I wasn’t set to better you, I only wanted you comfortable, to find peace in knowing you had done a good job in allowing memories to live on, in knowing somehow, someway, I would carry on all that I knew, a storyteller, of sorts. ~*~ In our hushed talks during that last time, we had more quiet than chatter, and your silent utterances of eyes meeting eyes, jade and olive in kindly repartee, soul of mother greeting daughter in final knowledge, a silence ripping hearts, I knew you loved me as much as I had ever loved you. ~*~ In memory of J. S. Rilling 11-18-92 |
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| © Copyright 2004 Karilea Rilling Jungel - All Rights Reserved | |||
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passing shadows Member Empyrean
since 1999-08-26
Posts 45577displaced |
heartfelt and soft |
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~DreamChild~ Senior Member
since 2001-04-23
Posts 544in your dreams |
very inspired, but too long!  hehe... very pleasant poem. ~Express Yourself~ |
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suthern
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723Louisiana |
This touches me so deeply... even to the flickering B&W TV screen... a last memory here. Beautiful work! |
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Ericc Member Elite
since 2003-01-31
Posts 4178 |
You tell a wonderful story...with beautiful words and form. Eric |
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JL Member Ascendant
since 2004-04-01
Posts 6128Texas, USA |
Oh...Wow. 'Bout had me in tears... Whooof... I Need another cup of coffee. JL |
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