RATHER GRAND d’Verse Poetics Prompt (Grandmothers)

Just before I get into this poem, I thought it’d be better to give you a bit of context. I’ve struggled with writing this one for some reason. Partly because of demands of my time & partly because I’ve never written about her at all which is unusual given how much of a profound influence my grandmother or Nana had on my life. She passed away at 99 years of age just a few short months after my dad Shuffled off this mortal coil. That death hit her hard as she’d been hanging on to life for what seemed like forever. But she seemed to give up the ghost after that. She was one tough lady and blunt too, didn’t suffer fools. We didn’t always see eye to eye but given we lived just up the road from her, I spent a lot of time there throughout my teens to 30’s. Sometimes willingly; sometimes grudgingly I must admit but ended up learning a lot from her. Apparently, according to a psychic; spiritual healer I went to shortly after, it turns out she was my spirit guide. If you knew how different we were you’d laugh too! 😁😂

For this d’Verse Poetics Prompt sarahsouthwest asked us to reflect on our grandmothers. My own Nana passed away 6 years ago January 5th, the day before her 99th birthday. Would have been 106 if she were still here! Below lies my rather rambling contribution to the prompt. Sincerely hope ye enjoy the read! 🤞🙏😊😁

RATHER GRAND

They’re rather grand
Aren’t they?!
Mothers twice over
So they understand
Always in demand
My own Grandmother
(Or Nana as she was
Affectionately known)
Her affections
Not always shown.
My only grandparent
She was never bland
Bouncing on the lap
Of her husband
My grand-father
Before he passed away
When I was just one
She never talked much about him
That was left to my mum
She was larger than life
Glamorous yet tough
A bit of lippy
Hairstyle
A bit of makeup
Abrasive too
Her words a little rough
Without her intending
Her words could cut you
Could hurt you
Hard to please
Felt like you couldn’t do enough
We were like chalk and cheese
Day and night
Saw the world
Through a different light
Questioned my direction
Yet thought me how to write
Standing over me as I did
My spellings at night
And for that
I am eternally grateful
Never hateful
A matriarch
In a patriarchal society
Insistent on propriety
Frugal with her pennies
She’d water down the paint
To make it last longer
Self sufficient & independent
Very little she couldn’t conquer
Driving her own car
Out to the dump
Till she couldn’t anymore
Till it had enough
She could play the piano
Sang in the choral society
Sat in her armchair by the stove
I sat at the table drinking some tea
After cutting the grass
Just her and me
Then the questions began
“Who was I going out with?”
“What do they do?
“Do I have a job yet?”
Everything to prove!
Not without her surprises though
Passing down
My grandfather’s GAA medals
And pocket watches so
They wouldn’t get lost
Sort of caught me off guard
(One of the first guards he became)
Holding that bit of history
In my hands.
With 15 other grand-children
I knew I’d no right to expect
Such a generous gift
Yet I couldn’t reject it
Not long after
Her health started to decline
And we began to refine
Our belief
That she’d always be around
That this mighty ship
Was about to come aground
“Raging against the dying of the light”
She continued to confound.
Hearing my dad passed though
Hit her hard
Her will gave in
God stamped her card
Her spirit released
In the nursing home
She finally rested in peace

Should you wish to participate in the prompt then you can access it through the following link: 👇👇👇

https://dversepoets.com/2023/01/24/grandmothers/

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