For almost as long as I can remember, reading has been my escape, distraction, teacher, amusement, consolation, friend, and a welcome alternate reality. When my Mom passed away in 2012, it was natural for me to seek comfort in reading. One of the books that drew me in was by Laurie R. King. This poem (from Thrown Again into the Frazzle Machine) came to me, weaving my real life with her fictional world, making some kind of sense from the (temporarily) numb place I was in. How about you? Any books that moved you or gave solace or understanding?
9/6/12
Reading Garment of Shadows
by Laurie R. King
I couldn’t see myself
on the other side of darkness
you lose a mother only once
what is broken cannot be fixed
what reassurance
could be offered
what meaning or strength
found in contemplating healing?
It is as if I woke with amnesia
unaware of who I am
clues all around of someone
who lived where I lived
and worked and was a friend
but who she is now
or who might know
or what road to follow…?
In the meantime…
sun rises…sun sets
the day is sunny or gray
put one foot in front of the other
the nights blending together
I dream in language I do not understand.
Margaret Dubay Mikus
© 2012
From Thrown Again into the Frazzle Machine: Poems of Grace, Hope, and Healing. Print edition now on amazon.com. (Also widely available as an ebook.) Thank you for sharing!
