A woman you never knew

This is a poem I wrote for my English class about my great grandmother who died of cancer a month after I was born.

A woman wrote a letter to an infant
Barely a few weeks old
Who's eyes were full of life and wonder
As the Cancer aged her cold.

As sixteen years passed
And the child aged and grew
She opened a small yellow stained letter
From a woman she never knew.

The child's name handwritten beautifully
On the cover of the note
As her eyes glanced every word
And she could almost hear how the woman spoke.

She read " Take this from a woman
Who's lived life through and through
Who's known you all your life,
Take this from me, a woman you never knew.

You're sleeping on my arm right now
So innocent and pure,
Don't let the hate of this world shake you
Yet I know you're immature

Be passionate about the things you love
Stand up for what your heart may hold
Try and Stay true to yourself
As you yourself , as a person , Start to mold.

I won't be there as you take your first steps
Nor when you walk across the stage
I can feel the cancer slowly killing me
I can feel my body starting to fade.

I see the beauty in your soul
The sunshine in your hair
As a miracle child of my other half
know that I love you, with such great care

As you a young woman
Read these words from ninety eight
Take the time to think and wonder
And leave your heart an open gate.

Think about the woman who wrote this
Think About the road the lies ahead
Remember the love that you received from me
A woman who is now long gone and dead."

The child wiped away her tears
As she visited the woman's grave
as she starred at the polished rock
One more broken heart, that the world could not save.

"Thank you." Said the child.
"For the time that I could gaze upon you
And while Looking up from your weak arms
I know you tried to pull through


I am no longer an infant, nor innocent and pure
But ready to live life through and through
Ready to live my dreams And be myself
Thank you, from a woman you never knew."

Extended Metaphor:

Your life is a circus.
Constantly juggling responsibilities and risks
While crawling along the tightrope of balance
As worries are flying around your head
Similar to young women swinging on a trapeze
You look up, and find yourself on the ground.
The ring master of your life
While you can control how some acts go,
Others run out of control like wild animals
You can laugh at your clowns,
Smile at your friends.
But all good things come to an end.
Alas as your circus called life comes to an end
You can hear the crowd rise and cheer
As you stand back and bask in the feeling of
Accomplishment

Author's Note

I have her name "Viola" tattoed on my arm as that tattoo, and the letter she wrote me almost 17 years ago is all I have of her that is truly mine.

Reviews

[Akshay Rawal]

This is a very genuine write. An exchange of concern and emotions between two people who never got to know each other etches out an extremity among the common ties humans have ever cherished. Lucky you could get such a feeling. It must have felt special. Pen on

[Julie McCarthy (juliesp..]

This is beautiful it's so beautiful I cried xx keep writing

[Cherry Pepperweb]

Very moving, you were each robbed of knowing one another...

[Nadia B.]

Truly heartfelt and stunning poem, life, and story. I am certain your grandmother would be proud. I'm sorry for your loss but thank you for sharing this precious moment. Your memory of her keeps her alive and I hope that one day your grandson and/or granddaughter will hold you as strongly in their hearts as you do your grandmother. Please keep writing, you wrote this poem with such wisdom and just so well!

[Kayla-Vi Hopkins]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it :)

[mattavelli]

That's a touching write. I didn't get to meet my great grandparents either.