The First Last Dance – At Last
her life she lived
by choice
to live
humbly
within the hills
and hollows
of the only place
ever
she called home
a life lived
long
and a long life
lived
upon the land
she labored
and the home she made
with such love
and though life
at times
was not so
kind
in kind she did
respond
With love
for eighty years
and then two more
she lived each one
so well
and she lived them all
within the shadows
of such glorious hills
yet her light
would rise
to unimaginable heights
by the love she shared
and humble way
she cared
her spirit carried
around the globe
ten times more
and One hundred-fold
chicken coups and pigs
in pens
the cows she milked
each day then
again
butter churned
by churning
calloused hands and
peeling
crisp sweet autumn apples
cooked in kettles
hovering over pits
of open fire
burning
her brand and blend
of magic poured
onto biscuits and bowls
filled to the brim
with that certain
and special
kind of love
found only
in the rhythm
of a heartbeat
raised higher than the highest
of hills
and mountains
of love
she bound
into every needle and stitch
of thread
until a quilt
would cover us all
in the warmth
of sweet rising
breads
she baked
and pies and cobbler
too
many jellies and jams
fudge brownies and
cookies galore
and a dozen times
more
birthdays made special
and artistically
sweet
homemade whipped icing
spread in delicate
waves
beautifully bound
to bring only joy
like only
she could
her castle
a tiny country kitchen
secure
behind the skeleton
keyhole door
dim lights flicker
as winters
pass
then passed once more
buried in banks
of snow
could neither hinder her
spirit
nor dampen the soul
of one so at peace
and peacefully so
she passed each
day
like the first
pristine
morning of spring
into the deep
hold
of a cool mountain
summer night
free
falling into the strands
an autumn’s blend
of colorful chorus
yielding
only to the chords
and strands
of her love
for life
and those she
loved
to gather and give
a spoonful
of mountain berry
jam
each one picked
by a thorn-pricked hand
when nary snake
nor thickets of thorns
would impede her
path
to the best
berry patch
torn down the steep
narrow way
without pause to cross
the crackling brook
she would run
and go
for the sweetest
and golden apples
to harvest
and back home
she strode alone
a bushel in
tow
yet never was she ever
alone
for each bird
that soared the sky
and every critter
covered in fur
they were all
known by her
and the winds and gentle
rains
and the crumble of
leaves
and the bite
of bitter cold
she embraced them
all
and they in turn
held her safe
to yearn
for one more
day
she loved to learn
and forever longed
to learn more
but nine years
was enough for a girl
to learn
so her father said
but what’s said
is not all
from those mountains
still
she would rise
with unshakable will
and never will her strength
be denied
and never will
I
nor any that ever
knew her love
and grace
that beautiful smiling
face
on the winds
beneath
an angel’s wings
she breathes
evermore
and that day
I remember
her last day was
near
and her last breath
would pass
but not until
we danced
barely could she stand
and no longer could she stand
alone
we needed to move
somewhere
she needed to go
from here
to just over
there
every move was a chore
how would we
ever
reach the door
how would we
manage
one so proud
and full of grace
she managed it all
as only she could
with a smile
that could erase time
and space
her beaming face
never failed
and lit every room
and touched every soul
until the end
she never lived
more than a mile
from where she was born
but no one I know
lived more
her life was full
much fuller than
most
and from such
a tiny abode
her love circled
the globe
she touched the lives
of all that she knew
she was the one
that no one dare dispute
was beyond measure
she was beyond
compare
yet in all of her
years
never did I hear
or did she ever tell
a story
of a time that she danced
so in that moment
as the last sands
slowly sailed
through the hour
of glass
into my arms
she rose
and I asked
“may I have this dance”
with a lifetime
of grace
slowly we strode
a mere shuffle
of warm embrace
that last first
dance
was at last
our chance
Forever her smile
that never will fade
and into forever
she danced
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1 Comment
Joey. I’m in tears. How beautiful.
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