MOTHER'S MARKET MEMORY

There is a market in our town.
It's set up only once a week.
The people come from miles around
To buy and sell and just to seek

A feeling of a bygone day
When markets were a meeting place.
I took my Mom to sit and watch
To help slow down our life's fast pace.

The trapeze is a thrill to watch.
I ask Mom if she'd like to try.
"No thanks", she laughs but never says
I am too old to try and fly.

We talk about the horse she had
So many, many years ago.
I say she could go for a ride.
Again she laughs but then says, "No".

We watch the kids jump up and down
In bungees on a trampoline.
She laughs once more but only says,
"To do that son, I'm just not keen".

When we come to a stand with fruit
I see her interest start to rise
As peaches, plums and cherries red
Become reflected in her eyes.

"These cherries are my favorite",
She says as she starts to dig in.
There is no time for laughter now.
There's barely even time to grin.

As we move on I start to shake
Because I know what lies ahead.
When choosing pastries or her life
My mother would choose to be dead.

Mom pulls me to them with such force
I have to strain to hold her back.
She laughs and then I do give in
And buy a treat we both attack.

"Thanks Doug", she says, "That was so good.
To that I always will agree.
Our time together was well spent.
Today I bought a memory.

MOTHER'S DREAM
MOTHER'S GAMES
MOTHER'S HOPE
MOTHER'S LEAVING
MOTHER'S MEMORIAL BENCH
MOTHER'S SAD ATTACK
MOTHER'S WAR
MOTHER'S WAKE

Comments

[Sharon]

Doug,

You have a way of communicating such depth of emotions in your poetry. I am always drawn to a place of reflection when I read your poems. Thanks for sharing your life and Mom's in such a beautiful way. Your closing line says it all. You are blessed by your giving.

Love Sharon

[Elia]

I really liked your poem uncle doug. I'm sure you are what makes nana's everyday life worth living...whether you know it or not...whether she knows it or not. You are the reason she still is. I know I am not there...I wish I cud be...thank you for taking such good care of my nana...and for giving her all the love i wish i cud be there to give her. I love you!

P.S-i love the pictures of Papa...thank you for those as well!!!

[Carolyn Plitz]

How wonderful! I can sooo relate to it. I have the same thing going on with Dad. I'll think of holding back on some food that I know isn't good for Dad, but one that I know he really enjoys, but then I think - For heaven's sake, he's 88. I recently made one of his favourite meals - Plum Dumplings. He so enjoyed them. I, too, had just created another memory. You and I, we are both blessed to be able to spend this precious time with our parents.

Carolyn

[R. Bryan-White]

very poignant.

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...and more meaningful now that my mother has died. Doug.E.Barr

[Peter]

Beautiful Doug. Like a walk at the market with you & your Mom: the quiet, languid moments of considering more athletic years gone by, the juicy cherishing of cherries and the like, then the sharp tug of Aunt Rita's arm when she spots the pastries! I'm with her!
A treat indeed. Lovely. Thank you.
Peter