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Mary Benim Poem
At 85, the old lady inches slowly
towards her living room
holding firmly to her walker,
her mind is sharp-as sharp as it's ever
been.
Her legs have become weak
with age,
she can no longer see clearly,
any visitors who ring at her door;
nor can she hear them.
Her friends have all passed
leaving her alone,
the last remaining
"Golden Girl."
At 15, the cat sits quietly in
the doorway,
the days of chasing balls and
imaginary birds
have long since passed.
Her body aches with arthritis
and her kidneys are failing.
Reaching her chair, the old lady
slowly lowers herself
careful not to fall.
She raises the footrest
and covers her legs with the quilt
she keeps nearby.
Seeing this silent signal
the old cat moves across the room
and, with great effort
jumps into her lap.
The two, having grown old together
settle into the familar comfort
that each has come to know.
A gentle pet on the head,
a grateful purr
they close their eyes.
Copyright © Mary Benim | Year Posted 2010
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Mary Benim Poem
I WISH I HAD A FLOWER
OR MAYBE A BOUQUET
TO BRING TO YOU
TODAY.
IT'S BEEN SUCH A LONG TIME
SINCE I'VE SEEN YOU.
AROUND ME
THE SPRING HAS BURST
INTO BLOOM, AND I
WATCH AS A ROBIN
MAKES HIS WAY
ACROSS THE LAWN-
STOPPING
WHEN HE NEARS YOU.
AND, ONCE AGAIN
THE TEARS STREAM FROM
MY EYES
-UNCONTROLLABLY-
AS I STAND BESIDE
YOUR GRAVE
SO DESPERATELY ALONE
WITHOUT YOU.
Copyright © Mary Benim | Year Posted 2010
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Mary Benim Poem
YESTERDAY
I FELL.
NOT A BAD FALL-
SCRAPES AND A
SKINNED KNEE
AN INCONVENIENCE
REALLY.
BUT...
LAST WEEK
I SUDDENLY
TRIPPED
ON FLAT PAVEMENT
AND SO, I JOKED
ONLY ME!
TODAY
I THINK
MAYBE THE LUPUS
OH NO!
NOT THE LUPUS
BUT, THEN I THINK
LUPUS.
Copyright © Mary Benim | Year Posted 2010
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Mary Benim Poem
SOMETIMES, WHEN WE LEAST
EXPECT IT,LIFE PULLS THE RUG
OUT FROM UNDER US.
UNSUSPECTING, AND STUNNED
WE TRY TO PULL OURSELVES
TOGETHER; TO RATIONALIZE, TO
UNDERSTAND THE MEANING IN
AN UNBELIEVABLE SITUATION.
AND SO, WE MOVE; CAUTIOUSLY,
HALTINGLY, STUMBLING ON AND
HOLDING ON. JUST KEEP PUSHING
FORWARD, NO MATTER HOW SLOW
THE PACE; BUT MOVE FORWARD
OUT OF THE DARKNESS.
Copyright © Mary Benim | Year Posted 2010
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Mary Benim Poem
IN MY HEART
THERE IS A SECRET PLACE
WHERE NO ONE
DARES TO GO.
NOT EVEN ME.
IT'S A HIDDEN SPACE
FILLED WITH MEMORIES
OF YESTERDAY.
IT'S ALL THAT I HAVE LEFT
TO CALL
MY OWN.
AND I HAVEN'T YET
FOUND A WAY
OF LETTING GO.
Copyright © Mary Benim | Year Posted 2010
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Mary Benim Poem
I'll think of you
when skies are blue
and birds of summer
sing.
but in the velvet
arms of night
i'll see you in
my dreams.
Copyright © Mary Benim | Year Posted 2010
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Mary Benim Poem
DON'T CRY FOR ME WHEN I'M GONE
FOR IT WAS IN LIFE THAT I NEEDED YOU
AGAIN AND AGAIN I REACHED OUT
TO YOU
BUT YOUR BACK WAS TURNED
AND YOUR HEART WAS COLD
AND YOUR WORDS WERE
PIERCING.
DON'T CRY FOR ME WHEN I'M GONE
THE TIME HAS PASSED
FOR SMILES AND TALKS
AND SETTING SUNS.
DON'T CRY FOR ME WHEN I'M GONE
BUT KNOW HOW DEEPLY
YOU WERE LOVED
THROUGH ALL THE YEARS
THROUGH ALL THE PAIN
THROUGH ALL THE TEARS.
DON'T CRY FOR ME.
Copyright © Mary Benim | Year Posted 2010
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Mary Benim Poem
MY PRECIOUS BABY BOY
THE CHILD I DREAMED OF-
LONG BEFORE I HELD YOU.
YOU'LL NEVER KNOW HOW DEEPLY
I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED YOU,
FOR YOUR VERY HEART
IS A PART OF MY OWN.
INSIDE, I FEEL A PART OF ME
IS DYING
AS I STRUGGLE TO PULL YOU
BACK TO ME-
TO SAFETY.
HOW DIFFICULT
YOUR JOURNEY HAS BEEN
AND HER AM I
UNABLE TO UNDERSTAND
THE PAIN AND CONFUSION
THAT IS THE VERY ESSENCE
OF YOU.
AND SO-IN DESPERATION
IN DEPRESSION
IN CONFUSION
YOUR STRUGGLE HAS BROUGHT
YOU HERE
TO WHAT I'M TERRIFIED
MIGHT BE YOUR VERY DEATH
YOUR VERY DESTRUCTION.
I NEED TO SAVE YOU.
I AM YOUR MOTHER.
MY LOVE FOR YOU HAS ALWAYS
REMAINED UNCHANGED.
AND, IN THAT LOVE I HAVE
SO DESPERATELY TRIED
TO PROTECT YOU
FROM THIS VERY MOMENT
THE MOMENT I ALWAYS
FEARED WOULD COME
THE MOMENT WHEN I COULD
NO LONGER
SAVE YOU
FROM YOURSELF...
Copyright © Mary Benim | Year Posted 2010
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Mary Benim Poem
WHEN I WAS
WHEN YOU WERE TOO
I CRIED
AND TRIED TO IMAGINE
IN MY MIND TO FASHION
THE WAY IT WAS TO BE
WHEN MY TRUE FEARS CAME
TO PASS
INTO REALITY.
THEN ONCE THIS FACT ACCEPTED
I TRIED TO CHANGE AND REARRANGE
THE PATTERNS OF MY THOUGHTS.
FOR THE THINGS IN LIFE
WE CANNOT CHANGE
WE MUST ACCEPT WITHOUT REGRET
AND SO, IT GOES
WITH ME.
WHATEVER COMES TO BE
I'LL TAKE THE BLOWS AND STAND
JUST LIKE THE MAN
YOU WERE.
FOR IT TOOK TOO LONG
FOR ME TO SEE THE PASSING
OF OUR ABSTRACT WAYS
BACK TO THE DAYS
WHEN I WAS
WHEN YOU WERE TOO.
Copyright © Mary Benim | Year Posted 2010
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Mary Benim Poem
LET ME HELP YOU
WALK A WHILE
FOLLOW IN
AN ANGELS SMILE.
TELL ME IF YOU
FEEL OK
AND LEAD ME THROUGH
ANOTHER DAY
FIND THE SUN
THEN TAKE ME THERE
TEACH ME WHAT IT
MEANS TO SHARE
I CANNOT PROMISE
WHAT WE'LL FIND
BUT LET ME TAKE
YOUR HAND IN MINE.
ALONE I'M BUT A
SINGLE STAR
THAT SHINES ABOVE
AT MIDNIGHT HOUR.
STAY WITH ME TILL
MORNINGS LIGHT
AND HELP ME MAKE IT
THROUGH THE NIGHT.
.
Copyright © Mary Benim | Year Posted 2010
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