This is a little long
God’s Angels came to call
She sits quietly, and silently stares off in
space wondering where they are.
They should have been here by now,
they really didn't live that far.
Today was Sunday, visiting day for the home,
and once again, she found herself sitting all alone.
She brushes back a white lock of hair, a tear sliding from her eyes,
She had promised herself this Sunday she wouldn't cry.
It didn't work, for the tears fell as Mavis's family walked
by. Why did they desert her after they brought her here?
She took her arthritic fingers, and tried to brush
away the tears.
Her eyes had dimmed some Over the years,
and her hearing wasn't what it had once been,
But that couldn't be the reason she had lost her family
and friends.
Could it? Echoes of the past brought the images to her mind,
days of peace and laughter, hope through the rays of sunshine.
She had three babies, but now they were all grown,
and all of them had babies, almost full grown.
When they were little, before they could see clear
She had loved them and cared for them, she had always been there.
As they grew over the years, made their way through school,
she had loved and protected them, she did everything a good
mother would do.
The door opened, she stared, wide eyed, could this be them?
Had they come this time? No, it was Jason's son and his wife,
his granddaughter had come too, and she cried, as they kissed them on
the cheek, and said" I love you”
You know, she had a grandchild too, out there somewhere,
but she had never seen him, and it was so unfair.
She could barely walk now, she rolled along in an old wheel chair,
her fingers were clumsy as she turned away from there.
It would be over soon, all the visitors would be gone,
oh well, just another Sunday spent alone.
She rolled in her room and looked around,
and her drooping mouth became marred with a frown.
How many times had she stared at these four walls
And wished that God would just call her home.
Heaven was the place for her, her husband awaited her there
and she knew that he was the only one that had ever really
cared.
Grasping the bed rails, she pulled herself out of the chair and onto the bed.
As she stared quietly at the ceiling, her heart ached, and she felt such an empty
feeling.
She heard everyone leaving, they would have supper
soon. And same as always, her medicine would come with
her food.
She stuck her hand in the pocket of her lose fitting gown,
and pulled out the old pocket watch it no longer kept time,
for it had been so many years since it had been wound.
It had belonged to her husband, and when he died,
She had sworn to always keep it by her side,
and she had. She shook her head.
Her children had also promised to visit
her, but only once, had that occurred.
How long had she been here? She couldn't
recall.
She knew it had been three summers, and they had
brought her here in the fall.
Long, lonely years in this place they told her was now her home.
Sure, she had friends here in this lonesome place, but it would
be so good to see her children’s faces.
They came for her now, time for the evening meal,
and as habits go, try to choke down her pill.
Same thing, day after day, same thing tomorrow would bring.
As she rolled to the same table Everyone was
laughing. Sharing pictures of their grandchildren. They
were all so happy. Johnny got his first tooth,
Mary's learning to walk, oh but you should see my little
Nancy, she's already starting to talk.
Wait till you see the new gown my daughter bought for me.
Guess what, my great grandson just turned three."
Talk was all around coming from every direction
Danny's son got laid off, Mac's son started a new profession.
Susie's daughter remarried again, and Jack's daughter had
twins. She stuck her pill in her mouth and raised the glass
of water to her lips. A split second of thought, and
she spit it out again. She didn't want her medicine
tonight, she was fed up with it all, and at the stroke of
midnight, God's Angels came to call.
Tears were cried, as they laid her to rest.
She looked so pretty and peaceful, all decked out in her Sunday best.
Their next weeks, tomorrows, and later on’s, turned out to be
too late. Never would they have to take the time to
visit her in the nursing home, their mother was gone
God’s Angels came to call.
© Cynthia Clark