Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Judy is in the hospital with bone marrow and breast cancer; Clara will outlive us all

When I spoke to my grandfather this morning, Judy’s heavy breathing, heavy eyelids, slow steps behind an oxygen tank for half a year and longer,

made sense, finally.

And now she will leave us

He is older than I realized

and Mother cried after Christmas Eve that he is not well

Come summer or spring, he will search for movies on strange high-speed devices that he cannot manipulate

alone, if at all

And there will be Clara to take care of

Clara, who lives heartily even sixteen years after Norwood’s passing,

Who is so beautiful even in her infinite regression,

No longer trusted with a fishing pole:

Her house carries indentations of ardor where she has met it on her lawnmower

more than once

There will survive mother and son without partner

and age will be too great a barrier for even a wandering heart like his too seek a new beginning in Eros’ wake

We will be the next ones to bear children and someday grow old and fruitful


-BHN

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