The Widow Next Door

Cherry

By Silver Spun Sand

Tue, 26 Apr 2011
  • 3203 reads
18 comments
 

This week, I’m reading her
Jane Eyre. Each day at three
she greets me from her chair;
can’t see too well – dexterity
not what it was.

Her old, marmalade tom
sinks deep into her lap,
as morning-glory spills,
purple over the windows
into late afternoon.

She tells me it’s time to go;
hunts in a drawer – shows
me a photo of a slip of a girl
in a starry hawthorn’s shade...
a mist of blossom, settles
on her arm like a whisper.

I squeeze her hand – tell her
she looked lovely, then and now.
Her late husband, she says,
is waiting by the door...
and I believe her.

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Comments

Submitted by MistakenMagic on
A stunning poem, Tina. I've just been to visit my 95 year old great grandmother, and this poem so reminded me of her! Y'know I'm off back to Durham tomorrow and her advice was "Work hard and play hard!" Wonderful woman - and this is a wonderful piece. Well done :) Magic xxx

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on
Many thanks for your lovely words, Magic and I hope the new term is a happy and successful one;-) You grandmother sounds a very wise lady who must be more than proud of her granddaughter. Tina xxx

 

Submitted by Highhat on
wonderful poem Tina- I enjoyed it ;)Pia

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on
Glad you thought so, Pia;-) Thanks, so very much for reading, and for taking the trouble to comment so kindly. Tina;-)

 

Submitted by rjnewlyn on
A very beautiful one. Yes, probably much better to believe these things. Wisdom and understanding come in many disguises. Rob

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on
They do indeed, Rob. Wise words, my friend;-) Many thanks for reading and I am pleased you enjoyed it. Tina

 

Submitted by Overthetop1 on
Really lovely Tina. Well deserved cherry.

Overthetop1

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on
OTT, many thanks;-) Tina

 

Submitted by seashore on
I have run out of superlatives....`lovely' sounds tame but that's what it is.

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on
Coral, 'lovely' sounds just lovely to me. What more can I say, except, thank you;-) Tina

 

Submitted by kheldar on
Would have to agree with all that the others have said - a very enjoyable read. :--) xxx

cool

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on
Much appreciate your reading, David. Pleased you enjoyed and thanks for telling me. Tina;-)xxx

 

Submitted by fatboy74 on
Marvellous and marvellous. :-)

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on
fb, so pleased you enjoyed;-) Many thanks for telling me. Tina

 

Submitted by barryj1 on
This is a poem that, in the true spirit of synergy, adds up to far more than the sum of its unremarkable parts. The imagery is deft and unobtrusive. Hawthorne - as in the Scarlet Letter - said words on a page should resemble a pane of glass that the reader peers through in order to take in what's on the far side. The author polishes and polish and polish the window meticulously so no one really sees it. All they really grasp is 'The Widow Next Door'. I love this poem. And it's not coy. It's not cutesy. Its says far more than fours-stanza's-worth of descriptive narrative about a woman at the end of her life. This is a perfectly realized poem about common decency and the human condition. Not because I say so but because it simply is. P.S. I also am rather biassed in favor of Charlotte Bronte. Several of her lesser-known works may actually be better than Jane Eyre, but not everyone would necessarily agree. One such - I think it was called the Professor - was rejected by every publisher and, even after she was quite famous, got rejected right up to her death. The book is far and away one of Bronte's finest works, which only appeared posthumously. Go figure it!

barryj1

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on
Hi there, Barry;-) As usual, I more than enjoyed reading your inspired comment. I am not familiar with 'The Professor', by Charlotte Bronte, so I shall definitely go check it out;-) Many thanks for reading and for your words. Tina

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on
Hi Tina, another wonderful poem from you. Jenny.

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on
Hi, Jenny;-) And another lovely comment from you; thank you. Tina