jumping the ditch

The wild strawberries grew             Lullabies

In the ditch at the edge

Of the road I would cross

To visit Memaw’s house

Leaping like a hurdler

Under the two oak trees

Spying her silhouette

Through the den curtain sheer

Looking out and waiting

For me to come over

Though years pulled me away

She was always watching

Longing for company

Then after the visit
Filled with cake and sweet tea

I’d jump the ditch once more

And we’d flick our porch lights

To signal I was home

first formal

after the dance            

curls were tangled                            Bubble Toes    

lipstick faded

wrinkled dresses

and blistered feet

but they looked just

as beautiful

as when they first

walked through the door

if not more so

as they became

our girls again

memaw did the laundry

Memaw did the laundry                         dream

Carrying the basket

Balanced on her side hip

Like a toddler down the

Damp cement basement steps

Round the side of the house

When I couldn’t find her

Inside of the kitchen

I’d look out the screen door

Where the sheets and blankets

Hung with assorted clothes

On the wire clothesline strung

In the back of the yard

Then I would see the top

Of her white head bobbing

Up and down between them

Securing with clothespins

As she hummed an old tune --

And if the black cloud came

That often would appear

In the hot summer sky

Signaled by a rumbling

That would shake the whole house

We would hurry outside

To gather it all in

Laughing, we’d race the rain

Bumping one another

And playing tug of war

As we grabbed the same piece

Wadding up the blankets

In our fumbling arms as

Clothespins fell to the ground