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Open Poetry #13
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Martie
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0 posted 2001-04-07 08:34 PM



     Babe

The lady’s name was Babe.
I read it on the card
and asked to be sure.

She nodded a yes to me
and on her face were years
of tender tributaries
to the river of time.

She was dressed in hospital’s gown,
captured and tied up the back,
but not her pride and dignity.

There was no room for flowers
on the table that held a pitcher
and other plastic necessities.

She managed a smile so lovely
that I thought her fragile hand
might turn into a friends,
and I imagined its soft inside lines
pointing to an ending soon.

It was just a moment that I stood
rearranging her room till it
was the color of spring.
When I handed her the card
she opened her tears upon my watching
and I clenched somewhere inside
where a memory was,

of my grandmother
slowly sliding
the lines etched across her face
like a braided rug
made from pieces of yesterday.

Her fingers trembling
as she cradled baby time,
she called me by my mother’s name
and my child by mine.

Thank you babe for reminding me
of the precious beauty of a life,
I should have said
as I turned and walked away.



In the dew of little things,
the heart finds its morning
and is refreshed.
(ee cummings)

[This message has been edited by Martie (edited 04-08-2001).]

© Copyright 2001 Martie Odell Ingebretsen - All Rights Reserved
Lady In White
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1 posted 2001-04-07 08:41 PM


"I've got you, Babe...."

and you did, just that....

Marge Tindal
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Florida's Foreverly Shores
2 posted 2001-04-07 08:42 PM


Martie~
You take so little - and give us so much ...

'on her face were years
of tender tributaries
to the river of time.'


How many times I traveled those tributaries
in my grandmother's face ...
and now I got to go back on your river of remember ...
Thank you.
~*Marge*~

~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~
noles1@totcon.com


Denise
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3 posted 2001-04-07 10:51 PM


This is sweetly and tenderly expressed Martie!
Balladeer
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since 1999-06-05
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Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA
4 posted 2001-04-07 11:32 PM


Martie, people like you and I have the greatest jobs in the world..what a variety of human nature we experience...thank you for sharing...
Joyce Johnson
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Washington State
5 posted 2001-04-07 11:54 PM


Such an empathetic poem.  Lovely  Joyce
Poet deVine
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Hurricane Alley
6 posted 2001-04-07 11:57 PM


This made me cry. What a wonderful story. Makes me want to send flowers to all the Senior Citizens in the world..
doreen peri
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since 1999-05-25
Posts 3812
Virginia
7 posted 2001-04-08 12:13 PM


quote:
It was just a moment that I stood
rearranging her room till it
was the color of spring.


geez..... i'm crying..... really ... it's beautiful....

those lines above were particularly exquisite


Janet Marie
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since 2000-01-22
Posts 18554

8 posted 2001-04-08 12:57 PM


She nodded a yes to me
and on her face were years
of tender tributaries
to the river of time.


She was dressed in hospital’s gown,
captured and tied up the back,
but not her pride and dignity..


==========================
She managed a smile so lovely
that I thought her fragile hand
might turn into a friends,
and I imagined its soft inside lines
pointing to an ending soon..



It was just a moment that I stood
rearranging her room till it
was the color of spring..

When I handed her the card
she opened her tears upon my watching.

and I clenched somewhere inside
where a memory was,

of my grandmother
slowly sliding
the lines etched across her face
like a braided rug
made form pieces of yesterday..



Her fingers trembling
as she cradled baby time,
she called me by my mother’s name
and my child by mine..



Thank you babe for reminding me
of the precious beauty of a life,
I should have said
as I turned and walked away.
===============================

*shaking my head* ...
you are amazing..
the way your poetic mind works just blows my mind...
those phrases...those awseome phrases...
so unique and clever and full of poetic vision and grace..
the way you put those images together ...
its like everything plays out in front of you in poetic time and thought......

"on her face were years
of tender tributaries
to the river of time.
"

"that I thought her fragile hand
might turn into a friends,
and I imagined its soft inside lines
pointing to an ending soon..
"

SEE WHAT I MEAN!!! ...
my mind just dont work like that...
not on my best day *S*...
thank you for this gift of pen and memory..
thank you Babe...thank you Martie


It's such a clever innocence with which you show myself to me
As if you know how it feels to never be who you wanted to be
~jackson browne~

Mysteria
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British Columbia, Canada
9 posted 2001-04-08 02:33 AM


Ditto Janet Marie on all counts! I was already a dam waiting to burst - now my room is flooded!
I visit someone like this every single day and re-arrange her room to look like Spring even though there is Winter in the air, as it makes her smile.

[This message has been edited by Mysteria (edited 04-08-2001).]

Martie
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since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049
California
10 posted 2001-04-08 10:48 AM


Karilea--"I've got Sunshine, on a cloudy day."

Marge--I think your river and mine run along side each other...thanks.

Denise--Thank you for your sweet comment.

Balladeer--I think you may be right...thanks deer one.

Joyce--Thank you so much for your nice reply.

Sharon--You should...they are so appreciative..and it will make your day!

Doreen--geeze, I'm smiling.  

Janet--You are so good for my spirit...thanks for that.

Sharon--I know that she appreciates your visits...you have a big heart.



suthern
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since 1999-07-29
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Louisiana
11 posted 2001-04-08 04:00 PM


I can't improve on what JM said... can I just ditto her response? (assuming a yeppers saves a lot of typing *G*)

"she opened her tears upon my watching"

I love that phrase... it's pure poetry!!! This is superb, Martie... your phrases capture the ordinary and present it in such a way we realize the treasure of every moment passing... Thank you, babe, for reminding Martie... and thank you, Martie, for reminding us.

Irish Rose
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since 2000-04-06
Posts 10263

12 posted 2001-04-08 04:20 PM


I was held to every word until the end.
Trillium
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Idaho, USA
13 posted 2001-04-08 04:43 PM


This is such a lovely poem.  It paticularly captured me as I have a dear, but elderly aunt named Babe.

Betty Lou Hebert

Wilfred Yeats
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since 2000-08-04
Posts 2704
Wilmington, Delaware
14 posted 2001-04-08 04:44 PM


The tips we get from just delivering - no dollars for the pocket - just treasures for the heart - I love the way you told this
Midnitesun
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Gaia
15 posted 2005-10-02 09:53 PM



~these archives sure hold some tender writes~

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