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Riding Past Grief
by Henry Flurry
2008
for Mezzo & Piano
Poetry by Deborah Rebeck Ash
Final Moments
Breathe in life
exhale living
breathe in family
exhale love
breathe in love
exhale living
concentrated life
basic essentials
breathe in love
exhale love
breathe in family
exhale love
breathe in
exhale ...
Author's note: Written the day she died, this poem recreates the lastmoments in my mother's life. When she stopped talking, wesurrounded her bed, held her hands, and told her we lovedher. I could feel love in every breath.
A Chocolate Moment
It was a chocolate moment
aroused by sweet aroma.
Palatal senses prepare,
plunge into richness,
thick, full, savory.
You lived as a moment
savoring its sweetness
even when it melted,
cancer-ravaged gooey mess.
Chocolate, still appreciated,
became gifts to others.
When I bite into candy
the sugar stirs, zings me
into a momentary high.
Meeting you in chocolate moments,
your joy coats my sorrow.
Everyone knew your weakness.
You lived a chocolate moment.
Author's note: Mother was a chocoholic. It was one thing shewould eat during chemotherapy treatment. Lots of peopleshowered her with chocolates. After daintily nibbling on one,she ended up giving the rest to my children.
Mother
I wear her clothes.
I drive her car.
I have her genes.
I feel her energy
when mine does wane.
I wear her watch upon my wrist.
I don her mother's ring.
I use her mirror.
I see the same eyes,
though mine are brown.
I think like her.
I walk like her.
I almost feel I am her.
I hear her voice come from my
mouth,
but look in the mirror and still
find me.
A setting of three poems from Deborah Rebeck Ash's book Riding Past Grief.
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