Sunday, May 31, 2015


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MY MOTHER

She was hurt.
Became mean, cruel, bitter.
Inflicted wounds that festered
with an awful residual stench.  Resentment takes years
to disinfect.  But now, to me, she's evidence -
a rebuttal for those who say people can't change.
Because she did, unbelievably.
A far fetched melodramatic tragic/comedy
acted out in life, a gift for me to witness.
Her happy ending still lives
in the DNA of my own play.
But I know little about genetics, more about us, 
how circumstances cause holistic effects,  
as do our choices.  I think I've made some good ones, 
like she did eventually.

My hope?  That I witness 
my own happy ending, knowing my story
enriched the world, adding a little drop of
clear, fresh water in the gene pool of evolution.
  




24 comments:

  1. Good to read this story of change, Myrna. It is hard to change, but not impossible; and you have been witness to this. May this story bring hope to others as well, and may we all have those happy endings.

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  2. I hope you get that happy ending Myrna and I an glad that she changed for the better there in the end leaving you good memories. Our choices do affect output look on life

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  3. This gives me hope.. maybe there is hope we all can change to the better... and so good that she was allowed to change.

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  4. I like that last line...a powerful ending to an inspiring story of change!

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  5. Myrna this is a wonderful tribute to your mom, to you and to life....our own happy ending is what we all dream of.

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  6. Hope you get the happiest of endings... because you truly deserve... may pain and loss.. be acres away from you and your loved ones. Beautiful poem.

    Lots of love,
    Sanaa

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  7. This speaks to me on so many levels. Hope!

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  8. Oh how I love this poem, which tells a story of eventual transformation. My own mother stopped drinking the last year of her life, a major achievement. But our family is so dysfunctional this great event was not mentioned at the funeral, when I thought it was such an achievement. Sigh. It is lovely how people and relationships weather time and sometimes are able to evolve. I LOVE what you write about your life being a drop of water in the gene pool of evolution. Brilliant, Myrna.

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  9. Myrna - I hope you get the happy ending you desire, we all have a story that we can learn from..change takes time, but it can happen leaving imprints of happiness in our hearts and mind.

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  10. Beautiful and hopeful. I am all too familiar with the residual stench of those wounds. My mother chose not to change, but I hope to step away from the path she carved.
    Thank you. A tribute to hope is a lovely thing to read this morning.

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  11. yes, the only constant in the universes is 'change'

    hope this was cathartic

    gracias for sharing

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  12. If only we could all try to do no harm. Sadly that is not in the nature of mankind.

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  13. The relationship with our mothers raises many a question of self doubt...and is rarely easy..i love however the hope in this..change for them..and for ourselves..

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  14. aah...how much patience lies there behind this change i wonder..nothing short of a miracle..beautiful, beautiful..love the happy ending as well as the end line...an uplifting poem...

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  15. We do figure it out some day :-)
    ZQ

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  16. There are many judgmental individuals who don't give someone a chance to change. Glad your mom proving it wrong.

    any poem about mother and child always get me :)

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  17. One of the best written, most significantly meaningful poem I have read in a long time, Myrna.

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  18. The hope of parents and grandparents, that we raise children better than we were.

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  19. Myrna,

    Loved this, as it had reality of life threaded through the words..Honesty about a situation. I've got my own family demons. My mother did her best for me; my father was thoughtless and made my life miserable..Sadly, his genes carry on in my two sisters...
    Eileen

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  20. I believe that people can change for the better, smiles ~ I am glad she did and I think you will have your happy ending too ~ have a good week Myrna ~

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  21. Wow! What a story, Myrna. Your words really got me today. You write so brilliantly and with so much truth. I love when I come by for a visit :)

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  22. How often our choices create different endings....but when near the positive example of close person, a mother - it's easier to make the good one.

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  23. How often do we wish for that happy ending? Beautiful evocative piece.

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