Apologies and Pardons

Cherry

By Bee

Tue, 30 Dec 2014
  • 2165 reads
14 comments
 

Callus rifts and fungal talons 
softened in the soak; rough edges
filed and sanitised; deodorised;
unpleasantness cut short.

My wretched throat gagged bilious 
on bile, half hinted palsy smile, 
and I was free,
and so was she, that dismal day,

just before she passed
the hour of talk; died babbling
apologies, freeing pardons -
sieving love from animosity,

and blessed with opportunity
to salve the hurt, I bathed
in sympathy, those bootless feet
at their leaving of the world.

Certificate 12
Poem
Autobiography

Comments

Submitted by celticman on

poignant and sad and lovely in a sad poignant and lovely way. 

 

Submitted by Bee on

Thanks CM.

And thank you for the Cherries.

Bee

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

How telling to parallel the state of feet with binding animosities being softened and shed.
I remember an aggressively independent old neigbour when we first married, and finding her having had a stroke and visiting the hospital and seeing the state of her poor feet. She'd had no electricity in the house, and lived in a terrible state but didn't realise she was pushing people who wanted to help away.
What is the first word of the last line of v.3? Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Bee on

 That's a sad story, and so often the case - pushing others away when needing help. People don't know the extent of that need until it's sometimes too late. 

Thanks Rhiannon.

Bee

Submitted by Geoff Smith on

i agree with both comments above - not sure I can add much to them. I thought the metaphor was really clever.

Thanks for reading. I am grateful for your time.

Submitted by Bee on

Thanks Jasper.

Bee

Submitted by catherine poarch on

I don't know if this is your experience but it seems like an honest poem, beautifully told. And it seems like both the end and the beginning of stories. 

 

Submitted by Bee on

Thanks Catherine - nicely put.

Bee

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Bee

Very thoughtful poem - and good on you, if you were able in reality to do it. I remember  being asked to trim my mother-in-law's toenails, which were very thick and hard and smelly - and how I hated every moment of it.

Jean

Jean Day

Submitted by Bee on

Thanks Jean. She was my mother-in-law - not a pleasant job, her feet had been totally neglected during a long stay in hospital. It was as you described, but once I gave myself over to the job, I was pleased to have helped, and moved by her relief and gratitude. And in a strange way, it seemed to smooth out a lifetime of 'differences'. 

Bee

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

A moving poem, Bee.  Beautifully, honestly, and sensitively told.

Tina

 

Submitted by Bee on

Thank you Tina.

 

Bee

Submitted by Stephen Thom on

there are some incredible moments you have managed to transmit here in your words...moments that seem too hard to convey you have done it and so beautifully...actually i was reading Alice Munro's last book...she had 4 life pieces at the end&it was a similar type of thing but in prose...these moments conveyed with such grace and clarity and subtlty...like here fitting in the right small phrases that stand out and strike an emotional note between the visceral lines...eg. lines like wretched throat gagged bilious on bile providing the context&reality contrasted with the brief touching humanity of blessed with opportunity. wonderful poem so much depth&reality&beauty

rambling comment sorry! :-/

 

Submitted by Bee on

Not rambling, but very flattering. Thank you for taking the time to read between the lines. 

Very much appreciation for your kind comments. I'll look out for Alice Munro's book. 

Bee x

Bee