Old Woman ( based on Apocrapha (Liber Requiei Mariae (The Book of Mary's Repose))

 

In the Eastern Church, the death of Mary, Jesus' mothers is traditionally celebrated on august 15. The feast is called the dormition or falling asleep of Mary.

OLD WOMAN

HOW WARM THE SUN SHE THOUGHT

NODDING NAPPING IN HER CHAIR

KNITTING UNATTENDED IN HER LAP

HOW WARM THE SUN

THE CHILDREN ALL HAD GONE

LAUGHING AND LEAPING

THE COOKIES ALL EATEN

BYE BYE AUNTIE

THEY ALL CALLED HER AUNTIE

AWAY THEY WENT LEAPING

EXCEPT ONE LITTLE URCHIN

WITH KNEE OUT IN TROUSER

AND NOSE ON SLEEVE WIPING

HAD LINGERED BEHIND

SHYLY

FOOT DRAGGING

HEAD DOWN

FACE BLUSHING

HE SLOWLY APPROACHED HER

AWKWARDLY KISSED HER

BELLOWED I LOVE YOU

SCURRIED AWAY

HEART ACHING SHE REACHED OUT

HER ARMS GRASPING NOTHING

SO QUICKLY HE RAN

OH JOSEPH OH JESUS HOW MUCH DO I MISS YOU

HOW LONG YOU'VE BEEN GONE

THE OLD WOMAN SAT NODDING

HER HEART WOUNDS REOPENED

SAT NODDING

AND NAPPING

AND YEARNING FOR HOME

SAT NODDING THEN SLEEPING

THEN GOD CALLED HER HOME

FRANK A VOLLMER