Author: Woodswoman

For mum I have no tears,
As each year passed we faced
Her slowly becoming less
From being someone
Who laughed and smiled and danced
Her recipes lost before we knew they’d disappear

Her name is Sarah Vieda Veronica
But Sarah is all most know
She responds when I pretend to be her mum
Telling her off “Vieda!”
The way Grandma Annie did
Under the Caribbean sun

She looks lost like a child
Sitting there
Not really seeing
But hearing all the same
I have no more tears for the woman lost
She’s still here
Mourning seems unseemly
Too early I fear

As the process chips away
Like deletions random access only
Emptying her mind of data
Making space for nothing happened lately
Contented? That’s what they say
But tears run down her face sometimes
When I say my name

Her eyes brighten in recognition
A warmth would greet my arrival
Then she would enquire
Have you seen Yolande?
Yes I’d say she’s well
Now there are no requests
No responses to try to understand

Except music penetrates
Through the fog of incomprehension
Her feet tap her hands move in her lap
She closes her eyes
And smiles
Lost in a moments inspiration

I loved it when she used to sing along
But that stopped a while back
Now and then I see a response
But it’s only a throwback
Of a shadow, of a glimpse
Of the woman who loved
And the way she lived

She was alive vibrant pleasant
She touched those who knew her
Her workmates in the carehomes and residents
Said they loved her smile
A smile which returns
When a visitor comes

Her beautiful dresses self made in her youth
Her winkle pickers
Gloved hands cigarette in a holder
Lipstick smeared
Elegant – she was going to be ‘someone’
And then she became our mum

The wayward teen gone
Dependable reliable
Always supporting
Always caring for others
In occupation and at home

And then
It slowly ended
She ebbed away and faded
Her dignity gone her passions a dream
My mum the woman who used to be
No longer here
A shadow residing inside an earthly shell

I hold her hand
And she senses me near
I see a light of recognition in her eyes
Just a flash
Then it’s gone
Like I must accept
So has the woman who is my mum

 Noises from the boat long abandoned 
 Looking in and see an old man
 Exposed pleasure on his face
 Shouting kids all around the place 
 Without a chase just freaked out fun 
 Needed no excuse a proper reason to run
 **
 Would you like a fig roll?
 Shuddering backing out and saying no
 “You look good in those jeans”
 They fit right I like them is that what he means?
 **
 Won’t let me pass
 I can’t breathe
 He touched my body
 Ran away got home then released my screams
 **
 Music joy carnival
 Wait - was that deliberately intentional? 
 Did he really try to meet my gaze
 To add to the excitement of his day?
 **
 The tube the bus the train
 Not my imaginings it’s all a game
 Dodge assess work out where’s safe
 Should l just walk instead and risk being late?
 **
 When will you turn
 When does happen the switch
 When you go from being called darlin’ 
 To stupid bitch
 **
 So before I was too young
 But now it’s time for me to learn 
 And how to set the tone
 Is to gain my trust offer tea
 And stick on a bit of porn?
 **
 The after hours fun
 Not fun anymore
 You knew what would happen 
 What else were you there for?
 **
 A Pool table
 A private lounge 
 A selected room 
 Padded walls 
 No sound
 **
 Lucky escape
 Always escape
 Just
 Never knowing next time
 Which one of them the least to trust
 **
 On guard
 Always on guard
 Until the steel settles in the eyes 
 Then it becomes known
 Don’t even try
THIS LOOK IS NOT FOR SHOW