--for all caregivers, everywhere
Watching Eleni feeding
My mother-in-law who doesn’t
Know where she is, who’s feeding her
Or what it is she’s eating anymore, I can't help
But wonder at her painstaking patience,
As she tenderly puts back into that mouth
That once lulled her to sleep, nourishment
That keeps wanting to trickle down
Those spent octogenarian cheeks, much
Like her mother was wont to do when
One after another, she found herself
With six hungry young mouths to feed,
And where no one ever forgot that
Never having enough food was always
More than just a thought.
Watching Eleni feeding
My mother-in-law who doesn’t
Know where she is, who’s feeding her
Or what it is she’s eating anymore, I can't help
But wonder at her painstaking patience,
As she tenderly puts back into that mouth
That once lulled her to sleep, nourishment
That keeps wanting to trickle down
Those spent octogenarian cheeks, much
Like her mother was wont to do when
One after another, she found herself
With six hungry young mouths to feed,
And where no one ever forgot that
Never having enough food was always
More than just a thought.
A touching tribute to Eleni, her mother, and all loving caretakers.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot, John; I only wish Eleni's mother was like you remember she was, thus making the writing of this poem unnecessary.
ReplyDelete