Mother-tongue

Gold cherry
Poem of the week

By MJG

Sat, 21 Oct 2023
  • 2158 reads
14 comments
 

Mother-tongue.

For B

 

Maria, mother, best friend

all five languages surgically removed.

I transcribed your tongue-tied signs,

desperate to comprehend.

 

You pressed keys into my hand,

a week before the world closed down.

‘Go,’ you mouthed.

Pushed me from your hospital bed.

 

My work terminated, flat lost

to fear, masks, death graphs.

Before lockdown imprisoned us apart,

I flew from London to Lanzarote.

 

Your bleached home on a hot, deserted island.

Brits fleeing, windswept volcanoes smoking,

wheeling, screaming gulls, empty skies and ocean.

I wept at the complexities of language and loss.

 

Palms whispered into silence

starving cats prowled and howled.

I was unbound, broken

by your dark eyes in mute Facetimes.

 

My wordless, linguist mother, my best friend

who interpreted the world for me.

I rescued a mewling, blind kitten,

revived with drops of milk.

 

It survived. You died.

Ashes returned to your island of ashes.

I cherish the love you gave me,

my name, your books, this home.

 

I need language to transcend

Maria, my mother, my best friend.

Certificate U
Poem
Love

Comments

Submitted by Turlough on

This is an incredibly moving poem that radiates great love and a deep sense of loss. And Lanzarote and Lough Swilly such contrasting but beautiful places.

Good on you for sharing such personal thoughts.

Turlough

Submitted by MJG on

this was written for a lovely woman I met. 

 

Submitted by celticman on

ah words sometimes fall short, but you have risen to the challenge of raising the dead to something like remembrance. 

 

Submitted by MJG on

True story. and one that helped her a little, I hope.

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

I can't better celticman's wonderful comment. Thank you for this MJG - very well earned cherries

 

Submitted by MJG on

am also making Clafouti ! :)

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

You are writing as the daughter here? I was feeling a little confused at first, remembering your writing of your mother's ashes.

My linguist mother, my best friend who interpreted the world for me. You capture the sense of loss when communication is largely prevented. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by MJG on

Easily made after Lough Swilly. This was a lovely woman I came across whilst on holiday who told me her story. I made it into a poem for her. It seemed to help her. Thank your for your comment. 

 

Submitted by Ewan on

  A moving elegy.

This is our Pick of the Day. Please share on social media, readers.

Author Page at the 'Zon
 

Submitted by Ewan on

 It's all been said above. A lovely, moving poem .
Congratulations.

Please share fellow ABCTalers!

Author Page at the 'Zon
 

Submitted by MJG on

made my weekend... 

 

Submitted by lenchenelf on

and sense of being.

best

L x

 

Submitted by Ed Crane on

Having spent several years on Lanzarote with a lady also named Maria this brought back some good and sad memories.

We had to leave in 2010 because I needed Chemo. 

I love the photo it looks a little like Haria in the North. It was our favourite place and we spent many hours wandering around the market buying artisan stuff and drinking the occasional Tropical in the cafe on the corner.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Submitted by MJG on

For your kind words, it is a spectaculary beautiful island, I aim to go more often. I never met Marie but I listened to her lovely daughter and wrote this for her. I hope you are well now.