LIFE...

LIFE...

DEATH...

DEATH...

REBIRTH - THE PHOENIX-BIRD RISES AGAIN!

REBIRTH - THE PHOENIX-BIRD RISES AGAIN!

Thursday, April 3, 2008

"Elena, My Mother's America" - for Mildred who was conceived in Germany; born in the USA! - 8/21/1989


Golden-haired; over 80
smiling blue eyes
thin - like a reed
charming - kind
what is this lovely lady
'Mildred'
now my newest friend
I find...
She told me how her mother came
to America years ago
on a boat
that she'd fled
so she wouldn't be dead
nor her baby growing
and Mildred was
glowing
as she told me this
when Elena told her
daughter
about what she
'aughter'
do and scolded her
bad
reminding her of her freedom
and all she had
Elena said Mildred had
better 'watch her talk'
showed her the 10 Commandments
wrote them on a black-board
with some crumbling chalk!
Mildred said she fought back
challenging Elena about 'free speech'
Elena heard her daughter
and some type of agreement
they tried to reach.
"What would you know about freedom;
you were riding in my womb...
I took you across the waters
incubated
in that tiny
'tomb'!"
"I brought you to America
so you could be born into a free and better land...
I watched you learn your first steps
on the seashore of the Pacific sand!"
Anger was in Elena's heart
but love was guiding her as well
she knew her daughter had the right
of speech
and she loved that thought of that
Liberty Bell
Suddenly she realized that because she'd made this trip
she'd brought her precious unborn child
who was growing up and now had been quite rude
..full of questions - even 'flip'
Yet her daughter was exercising the very right
she'd longed for her child to have
because both could debate and disagree
and so Elena
forgave!
Elena forgave her daughter, but her daughter saw
Elena's tears
Suddenly Mildred realized her mother's efforts;
dedicated for these many years
With head bowed - her handed extended
Mildred reached to her mother
and so the quarrel
ended
This quick exchange that day
in their quiet back-yard
while the flowers were smelling so sweet
Mildred realized it hadn't been hard
so each held the other
looked toward the sky
each showed understanding
knowing the reason why
the clouds were blue - blue in the Flag
red-blood of kinship
they walked back to the porch
for a rag
to wash off the soil
from their wooden lawn-chairs;
the 'dirt-FREE' country
where all citizens care
Where dads kiss the moms - and all the kids too
Where we all learn to cherish, the
red, white, and blue!
That night the sun kissed the trees; the moon kissed the night
Both were glad this spat had ended
--there was never a 'fight'
There was never a doubt
their thoughts were 'said and out'....
With the light of freedom's candle
there's no problem in this country
that one can not
handle.
Note: Essentially this was what Mildred (just not in a poem) told me as we had lunch in Laguna Beach, CA - 3 hours - a beautiful day in America.
Diane Stirling-Stevens