Granny

Granny was an institution a treasure trove of bygone days Laughter and tears, poured from her years her sometimes odd and senile ways

My great great grandma My uncle, brother, sister

and yes bottom right me lol

I had a great, great, grandmother
 still alive when I was a child
She was my grandpas, grandmother
even then she was a bit wild
Born in eighteen seventy eight
on a buckboard in Missouri
She had come a long way by then
she was fit and full of fury

We played cards everyday with her
beating her nearly made her weep
"Poopie, kacky, nanny" she'd say
"looks like it's time for you to sleep"
She'd wake me nearly every night
she returned from playing bingo
I'd play with her, games of euchre
sports of chance and foreign lingo

She would walk wherever she went
eat apples, including the core
Cuss and drink, then give me a wink
as she pulled the cards from her drawer
At times she would regress somewhat
"grandpa quit me in thirty four
Thought me uptight, he wasn't right
wouldn't run rum with me no more"

Her first picture was a tin type
"I was a looker in my day
I turned heads in the finest spreads
back then, I always got my way"
She witnessed many inventions
electric, lights to cars and trains
the first to own, a telephone
where she'd talk through the morning rains

At ninety she and I would watch
as three men circled round the moon
"We'll be on Mars, and then the stars
if I don't kick off pretty soon"
She lived to see her kids away
making sure they were buried right
"Yep" she'd say "I put them away
tucked em in for the winters night"

Once when we were playing football
and the game was getting quite tense
She'd sauntered by, looking quite spry
  I knocked her down, along the fence
She got up and kicked me senseless
too many bananas and beer
"Now you know, how to take a blow
don't ever show them any fear"

Granny was an institution
a relic of our bygone days
Laughter and tears, poured from her years
her sometimes odd and senile ways
She had outlived all her children
and a couple of grand-kids too
 War nor drought, could put her light out 
the toughest broad I ever knew

My family had a checkered past"Damn Revenuers"

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Author's Note

Our roots are almost always interesting. I think in my case I loved the roots to my great great grandmother. She was an institution. Older than Methuselah. I thought she was sister to father time. But she always seemed to take a liking to me.

Reviews

[Pratik]

This was SUPERB! What a nice tribute t your great-grandmother... Even though I don't remember much of my grandmothers ( both of them passed away when I was very small), I can say for sure they indulges in unmatched pampering when it comes to their grandchildren... They are the persons who can spank and cuddle you at the same time and that wouldn't make you feel bad! Your poem truly speaks volumes about the camaraderie that you shared with your granny.. those little details about playing cards, the football match, she witnessing the greatest inventions and journeys of mankind gives you a feel of the flow of time and that old-world ancient charm.... This was a lovely tribute from your side...If she would have read this she would perhaps throw out her arms and say.. "Come Tate, give me a hug boy!" :) Be proud Tate.. This is a jewel of all your writes.. :)

[Pax]

This is such a great and lovely tribute to your great great grandmother Mr. Tate... in your tale you put the person's life that touch your soul... grandparents always fascinates my young soul...for they give such true stories and experience of the past that they live through it...
A very wonderful tribute mr. Tate
Great work!!!

[Mauricio Montoya]

My comment was short because I was acknowledging with out so many words that I could relate to this piece, for me my Grandmother got me through many a time when I thought all else had failed, she was my hope my strength and part of my life,
Tate, thank you for sharing.

[lee von cleef]

Roots yes roots,thank you ,with the movement in America most Families don't give a
Damn about a root. But You do ,I do.

[emmy bon]

yet another great writing

[roarke]

A remarkable poem for an equally remarkable woman. She seems to have planted many seeds in you Tate. A truly heart felt piece.

[quinfinn]

a wonderful tribute to a matriarch of your clan. well written and humorous.

[Mockingbird]

a very substantial peak into who your great grandmother was, and how she was at such an old age. she is like a history book, witnessing the inventions we take for granted. lovely poem.

[Wally Du Temple]

I loved you poem Here is one of mine about my Dad. Wally du Temple

Daddy's Wallet

I climbed my Daddy’s lap and belly.
Like a big cat and child jabbered questions.
His newspaper slapped and flapped as I
Jumpety squirmed and headed my eyes
Around daily newsprint and daddy’s arms.
I cared for Daddy. My questions and attentions
Helped him, I’m sure. They must have because
He finished more quickly especially when I got
Tangled in his bracers and snapped them.
Sometimes he had toffees
Among the coins in his pant pockets.
I would push my little hands in
To wrestle them out. Sometimes I pulled
Out an old friction glossy wallet.
That wallet became a game
I’d try to hide it here or there.
‘Buffalo hide’, my Dad would say and
Carrying me to bed would tell me a stories
Tales from the Maoris of New Zealand
Or taboos from the Tahitians of Tahiti.
Then sleep enveloped me with wonder.



When I got to the hospital Mom was sobbing
Then the doctor came into the waiting room
And saying nothing abruptly put Daddy’s
Shiny buffalo wallet into my hands.
wordless symbol
Of death and loss
Cells and fibres snapped
Life limped to death
Lungs heaving
Weeping
Convulsively
The wallet brought no joy now.

[violetta york / nicki e..]

lovely!

[MOON]

Heartfelt tribute to a Grand Lady crazy and all!