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Freedom Is

Posted by Silver Spun Sand on September 16, 2011 - 22:54
from the ABC set Silver Spun Sand Poems

Today, would have been her birthday;
her gaze – mesmerising, from the wall
above my piano; brown eyes, blonde bob
in perfect waves...red lipstick – cheeks,
customarily rouged, not a hair out of place,
so very dapper, in her navy-blue,
WRAF uniform.

I miss her like hell...more than a decade
since; like I missed her, way back then –
ravaged, in the end, by that arch enemy,
Alzheimer’s. I recall countless occasions
I’d ring her up...an utter ‘wiz’ with words,
as she was; me – stuck, good and proper,
with The Telegraph Crossword.

Strange, how she regarded war-time
as the ‘best days of her life’. Maybe
because she'd met her fiancé then; Reg.
They said he was a pilot, not that she
ever spoke of him. I guess that’s why
she’d never married; the odd affair, here
and there. They never came to anything;
keeping herself for him.

And the last letter he wrote, plus his photo,
tucked, in secret, in her handbag...ever
by her side, even when her mind went,
is with her now. And, pinned to the dress
I sent her off in, on that final journey...
those wings of hers she earned, of which
she was always so proud.

I hope they served her well – sped her,
safe, to wherever she may be and I wish
to God she could help me, right this minute,
with three down. A seven letter word
begins with 'F'... and the clue, ‘It’s a thing
with wings’. I’ve a hunch it’s ‘Freedom’,
and, that she’d agree.

Discuss this piece in the abctales forum


Comments

Highhat | September 17, 2011 - 08:36

Very good Tina. A brilliant competition entry and a lovely tribute to your Mother.

good luck

;)Pia

Silver Spun Sand | September 17, 2011 - 10:44

Hi there, Pia...and thanks;-)

She was in fact my aunt...'Aunt Rene', who lived with us until I was eleven. She was a second mum to me (my mother already showing symptoms of early-onset Alzheimers). When I grew up, and she was still living a lonely life in London, I managed to get her a council flat in Bedford...not far from me, and we became closer still, where she grew to love the river, Great Ouse, and made many friends. She was a very special person.

Pleased you enjoyed and thank you for your wishes of good luck;-)

Tina

skinner_jennifer | September 17, 2011 - 14:11

what a beautiful entry Tina. It's good to remember
those that meant something to us in our life,

I'm sure your Aunt would read this and feel so proud
of you.

And like me, she is probably up there somewhere,
wishing you all the luck in the world, with the
competition.

Good luck.

Jenny.

Silver Spun Sand | September 17, 2011 - 18:11

And I hope she is too, Jenny;-)

Many thanks for reading, and I am so glad you enjoyed, and thanks too for your good wishes.

Tina

Cavalcaderl | October 21, 2011 - 22:20

new Silver-Spun-Sand
Beautiful poem, like the
last stanza tribute to her
memory. Good one for comp:all the best.
entry.Full of love the memoires war.
julie x

Silver Spun Sand | October 21, 2011 - 22:38

Thanks, Julie. Pleased you enjoyed;-)

Tina x

fatboy74 | November 3, 2011 - 14:58

Such a tender and loveley portrait. I'm not sure which is my favourite now i've read this one. :-)

Silver Spun Sand | November 3, 2011 - 18:45

Thanks, so very much, fb;-) She was a very special lady.

Tina