This is a poem from Myths that was originally written a couple years earlier. Some important things in my life have changed since then but others have become constants. Now, as always, I hope my mom was right.

FDO

Today is Easter

The Sunday of the Resurrection

And I’ve been told all day

In large ways and small

That I need to believe

 

I need to believe for myself

And I need to believe for her

For my mother who is now dead

In my eyes at least

If not in God’s

 

For me it’s still too hard

Since I’ve never been a joiner

And faith is a virtue

That eludes me

 

Sometimes I wish

I could share her spirit

The optimism

The joy, the laughter

(Oh, so much laughter)

 

I still can’t embrace it

Not yet at least

Because I just don’t know

Whether to laugh myself

Or to cry

 

Between her abiding faith

And my utter lack of it

May lie the truth

But I don’t think so

One of us is totally right

 

I hope it’s her

 

 

 

© Gayle Force Press 2009

A poem by Franklin Oliver

 

 

• Poetry