Mamma Didn't Come

Restored poem...

It was warm that day

I found the catseye marble

In the mesh bag at the

5 and Dime off Flushing Ave.

I remember looking longingly at

My grandmother and my brother

Hushed me before I could say

“Granny can I have” cause

She was tired from another long night

Of changing stained sheets at the Waldorf on Astoria

And scrubbing linoleum and chrome to pristine

And ushering us across the hotel from room to room unseen

We shared a bed she put a quarter in to make it vibrate and we slept

Like co-conspirators wearing our green buster brown jeans carrying

Our converse since we had to be there cause we couldn’t be home alone

In the new neighborhood in queens.

 

Mamma didn’t come get us again.

 

Granny’s eyes were weary red, 

The color of the vinegar

In a jar of pickled pig feet

And my brother knew better

Than to speak when she was barely

On this side of a dream and prayer words

Slid from her lips softer than a sigh

“Jesus, Jesus, Jesus why?  Why?”

My brother shook his head and asked “how much more you need to buy?”

“Just a dime, just a dime but Dee, I woulda had it but

 

Mamma didn’t come get us again.”

 

We took Granny’s bags

Struggling under the load cause she

Has been carrying us for 3 years

And she hailed a gypsy cab that squealed to a stop

Shuddering on bent rotors and resting on the curb

Haphazardly

The book on his seat guaranteed to teach

English as a second language

And he was a darker shade of black than me

“Hot garbage” my brother snickered and I laughed

Cause now as an adult I would say the cab smelled like a*s

On fire

But Granny was to bone weary to notice

Or she just needed to get off her feet

Cause she didn’t say anything about her car and the fact

We waited at that store for over an hour and

 

Mamma didn’t come get us again

 

S~Savant

 

Author's Note

this is a restored poem....

Reviews

[Goddess Sophia (filomen..]

this poem creates a deep sense of "nostalgia"
I can hear the voices flowing from the page and into real time..
creating vivid images with the use of your words, delving deeply into
the human emotion. I felt this poem more than I could read it.
A very deep piece!!

peace and blessings

[Li Li]

I agree, you have a great way of putting forth imagery. THis whole piece read like a poetic story. You took us on a glimpse of your reality. Gave us enough to share the emotion, and understand.

I am in awe. Not only with the way you word yourself, but the way that you put if forth rhythmically.

Much love,

Li

[M J Moore]

I agree with Mona and Ilene. This piece is jammed for such an amazing punch. Such a powerful piece, real and painful but there's beauty in every aspect of it.

thanks for sharing.

MJ

[R. MonaLeza]

Again, I am stunned. Your words paint the most vivid picture. The irony is that though the subject matter is sad, there is a beauty to every word, every visual depiction. I am truly a fan of your work and will return to read you each time you post. Please send your work to me. Again major kudos, you rock!

[Ilene M.W. Lush]

powerful piece of poetry.

people use the word flow to describe work often. well, not to be cliche, but this piece has mad flow. whoosh. and love the hard real yet elegant language.

thank you
ilene