Mavis Jackson Poet Lyric

Notes About The Poem

This was the start of it all for me. I wrote this poem 09/10/01/2004; three hours after my sister Betty, who was one week away from her 64th birthday, died in my arms. She wasn't expected to die.

Three months later I was holding the poem which was mounted in a frame and I heard a female voice, not anyone's I could recognise, singing it. It has now been recorded.

https://www.opendrive.com/file/ODBfMTgyNzk3NTNfSmdPNkM

Oh how I miss her and oh how I value the precious memories of all our shared moments. 

Holding Hands

When small I delighted in annoying Betty whenever I could.
She'd sit in a shady spot beneath my tree with a book,
An easy target for me up above; Betty never understood 
Me then; and she often gave me that 'elder sister look,'
But she never went far away and that felt good.
I laughed; she jumped when things on her I shook!
If ever I showed I was scared, and quite unplanned,
Betty would come to me and hold my hand.

She was five years my elder; at Lynchet Cottage a bedroom we shared.
Memories of frequent, whispered conversations.
Of frogs in beds; misunderstandings; wild chases; and tempers flared;
A plethora of family days with our relations;
Green-eyed Betty; beautifully slim and auburn-haired;
When nightmares struck, she looked in consternation, 
Cared enough to take the time, and quite unplanned,
Betty would come to me and hold my hand.

High days, holidays, time flew fast, shared moments, joys, tears, mirth,
Plymouth, memories flicker past, we grew, loved, wed, and gave birth.
Older, closer, how long did our phone calls last? Betty'd understand,
I held her, as she died, quite unplanned; it was my turn to hold her hand.

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Maria Williams March 7, 2017 at 7:16 AM Such happy childhood memories, but all too soon time passages us by. Beautifully written

Mpho Kgaswane March 6, 2017 at 3:31 AM Hi Mavis A very warm welcome to poetry soup. Lovely poem "holding hands". I also write but not perfect. Looking forward to your other poems. Regards. Mpho Kgaswane.