Open Poetry #13 |
Babe |
Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
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).] |
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© Copyright 2001 Martie Odell Ingebretsen - All Rights Reserved | |||
Lady In White
since 2001-02-12
Posts 2799USA |
"I've got you, Babe...." and you did, just that.... |
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Marge Tindal
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384Florida's Foreverly Shores |
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.*~ |
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Denise
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-08-22
Posts 22648 |
This is sweetly and tenderly expressed Martie! |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
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... |
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Joyce Johnson
since 2001-03-10
Posts 9912Washington State |
Such an empathetic poem. Lovely Joyce |
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
This made me cry. What a wonderful story. Makes me want to send flowers to all the Senior Citizens in the world.. |
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doreen peri Member Elite
since 1999-05-25
Posts 3812Virginia |
quote: geez..... i'm crying..... really ... it's beautiful.... those lines above were particularly exquisite |
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Janet Marie Member Laureate
since 2000-01-22
Posts 18554 |
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 |
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Mysteria
since 2001-03-07
Posts 18328British Columbia, Canada |
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).] |
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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049California |
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. |
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suthern
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723Louisiana |
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. |
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Irish Rose Member Patricius
since 2000-04-06
Posts 10263 |
I was held to every word until the end. |
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Trillium
since 2001-03-09
Posts 12098Idaho, USA |
This is such a lovely poem. It paticularly captured me as I have a dear, but elderly aunt named Babe. Betty Lou Hebert |
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Wilfred Yeats Member Elite
since 2000-08-04
Posts 2704Wilmington, Delaware |
The tips we get from just delivering - no dollars for the pocket - just treasures for the heart - I love the way you told this |
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Midnitesun
since 2001-05-18
Posts 28647Gaia |
~these archives sure hold some tender writes~ |
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