Member Poem

I had the greatest teacher of them all
A fearless, powerful, giving, unconventional, cruel, loving, passionate, compassionate
a puzzling and complex soul
I had the greatest teacher of them all
Unfazed by loss she never grieved yet she consoled them all until they felt relieved
Standing strong and not even five feet tall
a puzzling and complex soul
She could not read she could not write
One of 16 dragged up in her spite
drinking dirty water to keep hunger at bay
dancing in the moonlight until the break of day
tiny brothers tiny sisters came and went
with no sin yet to repent
so she played on their graves
hide and seek peek a boo
laughing histerically
babies babies where are you?
I had the greatest teacher of them all
a puzzling and complex soul
though he tried to cage her
with all his mighty and eager needs
he was the one left in prison
by the rage and power of her reason
at them these men she taught me to laugh and walk away with no despair
until my young and eager heart was too scared to care
I had the greatest teacher of them all
a puzzling and complex soul
and now I stand alone in front of my little son's grave
after all these years finally sobbing freeing my grief from its cave
you see, it is never too late to be freed from my fate
despite having the greatest teacher of them all
a puzzling and complex soul
and now as I sit by her bedside watching her drift away
gathering up all my strength through the night and through the day
I pray for her courage and fighting spirit to return
for I cannot bear to watch her once vibrant flame slowly burn
and in my mind I treasure all the beautiful the good and the ugly memories I recall
of my incredible mother
with her puzzling and complex soul
the greatest teacher of them all