The Teacup
by Dianna Brod-Bentley
05.15.95
Arriving here from my hometown
I brought potatoes large and brown
And when I asked, "where they should go?"
"Get Grandma" Mom said, "She will know"
So off I ran right through the door
to find out where those spuds would store
And when at last I found her there
warm smiling face, and curly hair
she said,"my dear, you come with me
we'll find a place in the pantry"
and with those words we walked right in
and placed our tubers in a bin.
But as we turned to leave the room
to shut the door on musty gloom
she took a teacup off a hook
and then gave me a quiet look.
"Do you remember this?"she said
and as I thought I shook my head.
She held it out for me to hold
it was so small and white and cold.
"When you were just a little girl
with hair of gold and teeth of pearl
you hung this cup up in it's place
and pride beamed on your childish face.
For ten years this is where it's been
while boys have grown, and now are men
For ten more years here it will be...
if not...then in your memory."
Her eyes were steady, shining bright
then she reached up, turned off the light.
And as I stood there in the dark
thinking hard but memory stark
a recollection not recalled
a reminiscence always walled.
But none-the-less a gift was gained
I knew her love for me remained
for though much time had passed away
she thought of me in the same way
And I felt just the same toward her
the way we are, the way we were.
To trade our past we would with none
and for one moment we were one
when I was old, and she was young
I hung the teacup on it's rung.
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