Who Bubby?
They fly through the
window
“Who Bubby?”
Oh such lovely young
men
Her voice quiet and sweet
Unraspy, silky smooth
Not the Lucille Ball
Flame haired scarlet lipped
Hellion “Bubby” stopping
by for a quick visit trailing
Channel Number 5 and vitriole
Tales of friends and clubs
Leaving quickly her essence
Clinging to us all like ship-wrecked
Survivors for days
“Who Bubby?”
Oh such lovely young
men
This new disembodied phone
Bubby from her apartment in
the city
“They were here last
night again”
“Who Bubby?”
Those nice people in
the
Long white robes
They stare at my
windows
And clean water
From the roof
It’s dripping down
My windows
But it’s okay
The lovely young men
are here
“Who Bubby?”
A priest, a cop, and a
student
We have sweet tea
And now they are
resting
Sleeping on my bed
She has four locks on her
Apartment door
That swings open
Inside she sits
This newly minted
sweet Bubby
On the edge of her bed
The newspaper
A priest prays over
a covered young man
his graduation picture smiling
a police officer comments
Bubby smiles, her new
Unlipsticked sweet smile
The room smells of chlorax
And a faint waft of urine
Look, she whispers
Out the window construction
paper sheets billow gently floors
down in the recobbled courtyard
They’re gathering
She whispers
Such nice young men
Sleeping here
We sit together for long moments
Watching the people gather
Listening to the gentle patter of rain
Not waking the resting young men
As the windows fill with sunset gold
Oh, so sad, Pearl...
ReplyDeleteSad and yet there was a sweetness that was being experienced :)
DeleteI think we all are lucky to be able to think properly..or may be this proper thing depends...its a sad note....they are living a world, we don't know...
ReplyDeleteYes Sreeja - the sadness is the sense of the family/friend's exclusion from this new world.
DeleteAgain your imagery is astounding. Emotively written,excellent, Pearl!
ReplyDeleteAww thank you Hannah! :)
DeleteOh this is such a tender, sweet story. In Bubby's heart, all was innocence and wonder....what a lovely way to fade out from life, with all those "lovely young men" stopping by for tea. Ask Bubby to send some my way:) Truly, this is lovely, Pearl. Just a beautiful sweet read.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sherry - it was lovely - she was a flaming feisty - not always at peace with herself or the world woman and yet at the finale - there was a lovely and innocence and wonder at a tender sweet world people by gentle men who both protected her and for whom she could offer a place of rest.
DeleteHeartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteAh ... for those watching ... but perhaps ...one hopes not for those experiencing a new reality :)
DeleteSo tragic for those sitting by and watching the loved one descend into "madness" but maybe not so bad for the one living in that other world ... terrific insight and writing Pearl
ReplyDeletehttp://leapinelephants.blogspot.ca/2012/06/over-dinner.html
Thank you Sharon - I do agree with you as you can see from my comment directly above yours. Perhaps "not so bad for the one living in that other world." :)
DeleteWhat a beautiful, but heartbreaking piece.
ReplyDeleteThank you so very much Susie - I appreciate your stopping by and your being moved ..
DeleteYou give us so much that is gentle, including how the speaker listens to Bubby who is so changed. The rain is gentle and so is she. Bless her for easing the passage, for taking the time. I thought I would be disturbed by my own memories with this topic, but God Bless You, for this gift.
ReplyDeleteOh SUSAN!!! Thank you - your comment is a gift I will treasure :)
DeleteBeautifully written.
ReplyDeleteAnd the last few words were so gentle and uplifting.
Much, much thanks - I am deeply touched.
DeleteI love where you went with this ~ I have been wracking my own brain for inspiration. I don't think I will be able to compose a poem for this prompt. Dementia is a tragedy I dealt with. My sweet, precious Mother suffered with this hateful disease. I wrote poems during those years, about the day in and day out happenings, the funny, the sad. It is comforting to read them now ~ five years later ~ and also a bit disquieting.
ReplyDeleteA gentle poem for a difficult topic.
ReplyDeleteWow Pearl, I could so see your words~ The imagery was amazing!
ReplyDelete