GENERATIONS

I often think of the grandmother I never knew.

I think of the joy she must have known

as she held the helpless babe in her arms.

I think of her pain as she kissed away his hurts,

her love as she watched him grow to manhood.

How she must have wondered what he would become.

Today I hold him in my arms and tell him he has to eat.

I clean him after he’s spilled his food,

I shave him and put lotion on his tender skin.

I painfully watch him wither away and become helpless again.

And I think about the man he was.

We loved this same person, my grandmother and I.

Love and pain unite us, time stands still

and soon he’ll be back in her arms.

I think about my son and the joy he knows

as he holds the helpless babe in his arms.

I think of the pain he’ll know as he guides that little boy,

his love as he watches him grow to manhood.

Now we all wonder, what will he become?

Tomorrow they’ll take care of me,

they’ll clean me after I spill my food,

they’ll put lotion on my tender skin,

they’ll painfully watch me wither away and become helpless again,

They’ll think about the woman I was.

We’ve loved full circle and their turn will come.

Love and pain will unite us and time will stand still

as they wish me Godspeed

to finally meet the grandmother I never knew.

From The Agèd Tree Stands Proud: I See New Beauty Found

Last Updated: 12/23/2007