Teech Airil sez – These two poems from 1998 mean a lot to me (of course). The first is really about my own mother after i thought long and hard about why we sometimes disagree with each other, well, most times at that time in my life really. The second is about my great grandmother who has since passed away, inspired by my idle chats with her before i left for the UK and the few years after, during my summer holidays. She passed away when i was still doing my degree. Al-Fatihah…

I’ve always had a soft spot for the many strong and wonderful women in my life, and my own mother, grandmother, great grandmother and mom-in-law are on top of the list!

I Hate My Mother

I hate my Mother because
I have too much of her in me

Layer upon layers of smiles and tears

Every thought I think
is my Mother’s
Every feeling I feel
is my Mother’s
Every tear I cry
is my Mother’s
Every smile I carve
is my Mother’s

My memories
were sieved through Her
I am borrowed
from Her

I hate my Mother because
One day she’ll leave me

The Grand Dame

the years are etched upon Her face
layer upon layers of smiles and tears
each line, each blemish
one story of her life
She sits by the creaking door
looking out into that that was once
deep green grass and clear blue skies
She sees nothing but blurred whiteness
She says
a few moving mis-shapes and lines
Her walks has returned to crawls
She wets Her bed
and forgets
lest She remembers
and be sad

upon each second
each minute
each hour
Death is certain
and is near

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