Cold Call

Gold cherry

By Philip Sidney

Sun, 26 Mar 2017
  • 4707 reads
14 comments
 

I hang wet sheets on the line 
and they slap me -
they struggle in the spring air
so I leave them with the resilient daffodils,
the colour of unhealthy eyes,
to drink coffee so scalding
my tongue swells and I slur
when I answer the phone
to the cold caller 
who asks if I have made my will.
I doodle a cactus on an envelope
and recall that shaft of light that fell
on my mother’s coffin
and her meagre belongings
spread over the best tablecloth
for mourners to choose
their own momento.

Certificate 12
Poem

Comments

Submitted by airyfairy on

The everyday process of remembering brought movingly to life in this lovely poem, our Facebook and Twitter Pick of the Day.  Congratulations!  Please share/retweet if you've enjoyed it.

Picture:  http://tinyurl.com/lc4e6k2

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Thank you so much airyfairy. heart

Submitted by YaseminB on

a very beautiful and sad poem

Yasemin Balandi

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Thanks Yasemin.

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

An individual and very effective Mother's Day poem, Phil.

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Thank you elsie.

Submitted by hudsonmoon on

Beautiful, PS. Just beautiful.

Rich x

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Thanks Rich. x

Submitted by Stephen Thom on

very beautiful Philip, I like the way you capture the natural trigger and process of memories, like the sparse style every moment and detail is amplified for it. loved 'resilient daffodils,the colour of unhealthy eyes' lovely work

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

I liked the turn to  llitte 'stuff' left behind. A few momentoes, hopefully recalling good memories in abundance, which is the good thing to be able to leave, and 'treasure in heaven' of faith. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by celticman on

yeh, you've caught it. Not sure what, but something special 

 

Submitted by BFam on

This made me cry, it really moved me.

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

Thank you so much BFam.

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Helen

I just loved this from the slapping wet sheets to the momementos from your Mother. Recently my granddaughter, just turned 12, was given the gold bracelet that I gave her mother when she was 12, that my mother gave me when I was 12. My daughter asked me where my mother had got it, and I didn't know. So much we miss out on, because we didn't think to ask.

Jean

Jean Day