This was my grandmother.

This was my grandmother.

She was energetic, bounding

She laid in the garden in summertime

Soaked up the sun

Fell in love with roses and raspberries

And forgave them both their thorns.

She laughed loud and boldly

Climbed trees to hang ropes

Told me to swing, swing

Until I plain forgot the feeling of ground

She noticed what people wanted

She gave them just the same

Everything she had was for giving

Up to and including her heart.

She took care of me when I was sick

Made me soup, drew baths

Threw me out in the sunshine

Because she knew it wouldn't kill me.

She spread joy like wildflowers

Sprawl across a garden, unbidden

She planted, and she planted, and she planted

Didn't care if some got trampled

Or some got picked

There was always more to offer.

She was beautiful.

When I was little,

She would throw back her head

And she would laugh

And she would proclaim, "You are a riot!"

And in retrospect I understand this to mean

"Kid, you are ridiculous!"

But at the time, it made me queen of my universe

The bubble of air in her red Jimmy

The etch-a-sketch on her keychain my crown

I can hear her voice, her laugh

I love them both very much

I can feel her hugging me Thanksgiving night

I can see the flowers she brought me

And when I water them, which I will

I'll keep in mind that she wouldn't want us crying

She would yell at us now to see

(And I can hear her doing it tonight)

The tears, the heartache

They had no place in her life

She always said to keep going

She would say it to us now

Stop crying, stop mourning

My death barely stung

But I'll also keep in mind

That she'd forgive us all the crying.

She'd think we're being silly

But love us all the same.

--post by Jennifer Marsh