Grace at dversepoets.com has us writing about ancestors in our family today; I had
a desire to write about my mother and aunt, sisters from the 20's through the 90's ..
They grew up on 14th Street
5 blocks from bustling downtown/
Portland's park blocks, rose gardens,
president's on horseback in
statuary bronze
Through my childhood eyes I saw
homeless on benches, pigeons,
kicked leaves and ate ice cream cones
Much as my mother and aunt did,
a generation ago
Margaret, my mother,
had an inquiring mind;
My Aunt Jean, was the
brave mother of 3 boys
Sisters for 20 years
before I came along
Their history together
meant shared dreams/secrets,
a strange elderly neighbor
like one Miss Havisham
I slept in their old room
with tall windows,
decorated with blue/violet
hydrangea drapes and wallpaper;
we played with Margaret and Jean's
dolls and wind up music boxes,
the vintage brush and mirror
There was a step stool to reach
the bathroom sink; a soft rug
to step on by the claw foot tub
The old house with high ceilings
echoed their voices,
piano practice/ laughter
and screams
They listened to baseball on
the radio,
read and studied hard
I remember a copper toned
spaniel with long ears, sad eyes
- Kim was her name
The kitchen was a good size;
Grandma packed sack lunches,
roast beef sandwiches, soup
She added fruit and cookies,
a thermos of hot chocolate,
Grandpa took the bus to
the pharmaceutical company,
newspaper under his arm
I remember backyard sprinklers,
lilacs tall, roller skates with a key/
simmering oatmeal on the gas stove,
I imagine the same scenes
while they were growing up,
buggies and streetcars in the street
old model T's -
The brown turkey baking,
scent of freshly mowed grass
(we watched the blades turn 'round)
We helped pull clothes through the wringer
of the old washing machine,
hung them out to dry on
the taut clothesline
As youngsters we stayed many times
in that house where they grew up -
where nothing much had changed
(except the addition of
a box called TV)
Next door were the gas
and fire stations/
sirens in the night
Attractive and well mannered,
both held jobs, went to college,
They could have gone far
with their talents -
They could have worked as waitress,
but were fortunate and
married well;
they stayed home, raised families
Careers then for women were rare..
they were lucky gals
Heaven knows they guided us well,
taught us values and how to
be strong, standing firm,
as nurse, scout leader,
friend in times of need,
cheerleader of little league
Never again will I see such a pair,
Wholesome gals, honest and true
They had nice legs to boot,
so wore swimming suits well -
relished life with confidence
Sources of unconditional love,
ready to laugh or sacrifice
Their voices sounded much alike,
perfect teeth when they smiled
Similar in appearances,
they cared for one another,
yet their demeanor distinct
They learned from their grandmothers,
pioneers who crossed the prairie,
propensities for art and sewing
Born in the 20's,
they lived through depression/ war,
valued the dollar,
cried for FDR
I was the eldest of 4,
my cousins were 3..
now many more in the family tree
In 1975, we lost one sister;
Jean cried for my Mom
In a Columbus Day storm,
wind took the roof off my aunts family home
Margaret had empathy for Jean
Soon after becoming grandmothers,
their lives cut shorter than most//
started smoking in college,
which was common;
they stopped too late, of course
Now, their great grandchildren bear
their traits, grins, and eyes -
immortality in one sense
But forever they will be
together in our hearts as sisters //
God's testament to giving and grace,
important keys in our lives....
