I Kept Her Alive
Several weeks ago, I officiated at Jacqueline’s funeral. She was 83 and in hospice at the time of her passing. Her son, Daniel, is the father of two children. His newborn daughter, Olivia, was born three days before his mother died.
I write this interpretive poem in memory of Jacqueline and in honor of Olivia. This is the family story told to me by the bereaved son. (I have changed their names for privacy.)
I kept her alive so she could hold my newborn
And I could rest in peace
Knowing that they had bonded briefly
But beautifully
From womb to casket.
Everyday,
I look at their picture with a joyful sorrow.
While I mourn the loss of my mother.
My tears flow for my tiny tot
Knowing that her future would survive
Without my mother being in it.
Forever stitched into my daughter’s baby blanket
Is the heart of my mother
And their eternal love.
“Aleha hashalom”
May peace be reverently placed upon her soul
And grant our family a restful sleep, one night at a time
Always
With gratitude.
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