Lamenting the Story Teller

My grandmother is dying

Even now I find it hard to swallow

She is suffocating to death

Slowly

All the oxygen in the world couldn't save her now

The taxi cab driver tells me

He is a vet from Vietnam and he's never recovered

Outside the world is eyes, my eyes are puffy

And all the crows have retired for the moment

He looks at me, sympathy on display

Says he's a taxi driver to help those in need

He's a missionary to spread love to the people

And though he was born a Baptist

Jesus was a Jew so hell, he preaches that too

He had flowers in his hair

Orange and red

An infectious smile

And when the sky faded to periwinkle

I told him without thinking

I said

It's just not fair

About the wars, about Vietnam,

The years of his life he will never get back,

I think about my grandmother

Who left right when we needed her the most

Because I was a big girl,

But I felt like a baby

I, like my mother, sister, brother had,

The pain of many across our collar bones pressing on our lungs

And he tells me he used to live right off the highway,

When he was just a boy,

His mother took the Hmong people to church

And she is still alive today and he says

God Bless her

I want to God Bless someone but I feel like a liar

And right now, I just wish I had a goddamn cigarette

But before I break down in the kitchen

And before I mix another drink

I tell the world it'll still be okay

We will feel her energy around us

And this makes me a sinner

Because I never believed in a god damn thing

And she believed a little too much

I never knew which side of her was real

And I love her

I love her with all my organs

The skin off my bones

And you're not supposed to be angry with the dying

Not supposed to stay mad at the dead

And that's what she is

Dead.

She's telling my mother the plans for her funeral

She's asking her which of her things we would like to keep

And my mother is asking her friends what to do

And my skin has never felt tighter

My flesh never felt hotter

I can't let her die when I'm angry

I can't let her die without that twinkle in her eye

I always loved that fire burning in her gut

Little did I know it'd spread to her lungs

And that would be the end of that

I roll the window all the way down in the taxi

And the driver

He let's out this wild laugh

Throws his head back

Lets the flowers fall from his mane

And laughs

Until the sun reconnects with our sky

'Till the oceans washed up past the shoreline

'Till her bed has long been empty

Till my grandmothers grave is growing sunflowers and daisies

So she remembers that wherever she may be

I will always love her

She will always be my favorite storyteller

I wonder if she will visit me

Press her hand against my back

Send shivers down my spine

Remind me she will always be close

That we will feel her with us

And that despite everything she has always known everyone is a sinner

Sometimes

Author's Note

Any ideas? Comments? Suggestions? I love feedback!

Reviews

[Mike Mardis]

I'm a big fan of this one. I think it's so easy to connect with and sympathize with the storyteller. My favorite bits are: "Because I never believed in a god damn thing
And she believed a little too much" and the beautifully crafted story around the taxi ride.

I think pointing out that you never believed and your grandmother believed too much placed a spotlight on the conceived notions of fate, mortality, religion, destiny. All the while it seems like the taxi driver represents forgiveness and movement through life. He is taking you where you need to go (which is rightfully never revealed). Forgiveness is funny like that.

I wouldn't change much. No poem is perfect. So, there are things that can certainly be done. But, this is well done.

[Liliana Wolfsong]

Thank you Mike! I appreciate it and am glad you liked it! You are spot on about the journey!

[Tom]

A reflective remembrance, despite her perceived character foibles, your dear grandmother was indeed like a rock for you and now she's gone, you feel her passing even more poignantly!

A fine and frank purposefully penned, emotional poem, splendid indeed!

[Liliana Wolfsong]

Thank you very much!

[Blogger]

This is wonderful. I love how involved is it. I love how it reaches all of us. I love how it tugs at our heart strings and means something to all of us.

[Liliana Wolfsong]

Thank you for the visit and loving words! I am glad this piece reaches out to others! It was intended to!

[Blogger]

It does. There is so much in your write here that appeals to humanity in general. Well done!

[Glen Yumang Manese]

I liked the verse...the feel is there as I read the work...I would IMPO...
go back and give certain lines some detail:

The taxi cab driver tells me
He is a vet from Vietnam and he's never recovered
Outside the world is eyes, my eyes are puffy
And all the crows have retired for the moment
He looks at me, sympathy on display
Says he's a taxi driver to help those in need
---
The taxi cab driver tells me
He is a Vietnam vet and he's never recovered
Outside the world in his eyes, my eyes are puffy
And all the crows have retired for the moment
He looks at me, sympathy on display
Says he's a driver to help those in need
---
I wonder if she will visit me
Press her hand against my back
Send shivers down my spine
Remind me she will always be close
That we will feel her with us
And that despite everything she has always known everyone is a sinner
Sometimes
---
I wonder if she will visit me
Press her hand against my back
Send shivers down my spine
Remind me she will always be close
We will feel her with us
Despite everything she has always known
Everyone is a sinner
Sometimes
---
a change in the group of words here and there...and this write is solid...
over-all was a pleasant read in its concept...

[Liliana Wolfsong]

Thanks! I will look over it!

[Glen Yumang Manese]

you're welcome...

[Writer at last! Sky ~]

This is wonderful piece of work I feel and you brought a fairness with a twist. Love the way you described your love for your grandmother. The stanza that I like the most would be...

I will always love her
She will always be my favorite storyteller

Really reading this was a pleasure and it brought some old memories back thanks friend for a nice piece of work!

[Liliana Wolfsong]

Thank you so much!

[Ashira Macy]

I love how you describe the taxi driver in such breathtaking detail. The flowers in his hair are a fascinating concept to me considering he is a Vet. "Jesus was a Jew so hell, he preaches that too" I think was my favorite line. Acceptance of everyone because we are all connected and mortal, regardless of our beliefs is what I got from that. Well done.

[Liliana Wolfsong]

Thank you Ashira! I totally agree that we are all one consciousness (in a sense) and it is important to not let ourselves be divided.

[Black Star Adept]

Was very intersting and loved how the slow of the story went!

[Liliana Wolfsong]

:) Thank you very much!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

"i want to god bless someone but i feel like a liar"

love that line...this is so Beat style...i feel ferlinghetti, ginsberg and plath altogether in this one...

a convocation of elated spirit and deflated spirit.

this poem really moves me...as did all the beat poets from the fifties and sixties...
and like you, i love the world, but it scares me to death.

"i never believed a god damn thing, and she believed everything"

ain't that the truth...i used to believe in a lot of things, but now my cynicism has taken over.

only suggestion...go back through...there are some apostrophes missing...but the wording is spot on.

jacob

[Liliana Wolfsong]

Thank you Jacob. I have been very influenced by the Anne Waldman and the outrider poets! I appreciate the help! I am always struggling with grammar and form. I find that many poets/artists have a sweet spot for cynicism, there are so many questions to be answered!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

this is one of my favorite poems on the site...i have reread it...and felt sexton and levertov....and how it isn't getting better...and we are wanting to scream...everyone we love is dying, and everyone is trying to recover from wars...and none of it makes any damn sense at all...but this poem conveys that chaos so well...
such a wonderful piece.