Tootsie

A Poem by Michelle Gent

A poem about my grandmother

Tootsie-

Lentil soup, I think of you
Chicken livers, I think of you
Coffee, cake and chocolate too

Prim and proper
Devout Catholic, fastidious nature
All these are known to be true

The smell of moth balls, glass half empty
You're little chochkey collections
Just to name a few

Town traipser, bus taker
Bargain hunter extraordinaire
Everything special and uniquely you
Gets me thinking of you

Toothless smile framed in red lip stick
Blue highlights that tint your hair
Your crochet stitched head band
Keeping each unruly strand in place

Your knee highs rolled down inner tubes
falling at your ankles
Revealing open toe sandals exposing fuchsia nail polish
Keeps me thinking of you

Floral house dress
Silver cat-eye spectacles bedazzled in bling
Gets me thinking of you

Your unconventional ways
Your being funny and not realizing
Your silly idiosyncrasies

Growing up grandma you were always there
Watching from your front window
Eye's lighting up whenever family came into view
It brings a smile to my face when all I do is think of you