Interrupted Grace

for my mother

The station closed long ago
but you struggle with the time table,
see the train a long way off
dip through the distant past
where silhouettes flutter and taunt
your memory with roaming

Autumn is awake, but dying, leaf
by leaf in the dull rain
Your eyes hold the sunset of sleeplessness
We climb cautiously toward the moon,
cratered by shadows
Your sweater unraveled by stars

Reviews

[Emily B]

grace has been much on my mind lately, this is beautiful work

[Phibby Venable]

thank you, Emily, hope your thanksgiving was grand!

[Ken Simm.]

The whole poem is stunning but that last line just beggars belief in its sheer beauty.

[Phibby Venable]

so glad you liked it, Ken, thank u!

[Shimmerbliss/CAF]

So sad, and haunting. You capture the confusion so beautifully.

[Phibby Venable]

a very cruel disease. thank you!

[John]

The poem has a sad wistful atmosphere as the speaker reflects on the loss that she is experiencing. There is a sense of great pain being kept in check, but the poem is all the stronger for that. Art, while it draws on personal experience is not equivalent to the experience, and has to be judged on its own terms. For me, this is a wonderful frank artful piece of writing.

[Phibby Venable]

thank you so much John!

[Phibby Venable]

Thank you, W.k. I always value your Opinion!!

[W.k.kortas]

Autumn is the time of unraveling, for the trees and many the town. The last stanza is as good as anything you've written, which puts it in rare company.

[Phibby Venable]

thank you, W.k., xoxo

[Audrey Howitt]

Just gorgeous--such a gorgeous piece of writing and moving--I am so glad to have found this piece this morning--

[Phibby Venable]

Thank you so much, Audrey.

[The Rock And Roll Cowbo..]

Very moving... so moving I practically speechless.

[Phibby Venable]

I always value your opinion & thank you for commenting!

[to.see.by.heart]

This is absolutely gorgeous. I love the imagery of the station and the struggle with the time table. I love the image of a sweater unraveled by stars. Thanks!

[Phibby Venable]

so happy you like the poem and imagery. dementia is so cruel & takes what has been stored over a lifetime & shreds it, moves it to confused places.