Portraits of my Mother

standing
-------shivering
by sister’s grave
after years of lugging paralysed
body room to room

standing
--------silent
in light-flooded doorway
watching
--------mind numb
as father shackled on wagon
wheeled away
never seen again

sitting
-------apprehensive
in front of round wooden radio
a day after grad
the German advance begun
knowing dreams of engineering were over
evacuation looming

sitting
=====tear-filled
holding mother’s hand
black dress
minister speaking over simple coffin
of drowned brother

lying
------shivering
sleeping outside train station
in cold October
bridge bombed
waiting to get to Germany

peddling
---------fearfully
with mother
along cobblestone streets
balancing canned foods
and sewing machine
through perilous soldier-filled
checkpoints to
British zone

sitting
-------uncertainly
playing in dirt with little sister
refugee camp
time drags waiting for Canada

standing
--------back bent
over plants
sprawling garden in Gretna
five children playing in yard

stepping
======proudly
carrying steaming dish
for large family
at festive table
basement sunday feast

sitting
-------sadly
in small impersonal
nursing home room
feeding helpless husband

standing
-------devastated
watching her love of 62 years
take his last breath

waltzing
---------warily
light feet
with grandson
at her son’s 50th
birthday party

no stopping her