Mavis

A poem for Mum

Mavis makes her bread groan
under sweet golden butter
spread thick to savour how now the times are gone
when life gave you nothing
no promise or favours Childhood scarce and scared
in Melbourne street sent to the Chemist
for your Mums’ “medicine”

Now you live between worlds
(for your youngest son)
one is a dreamscape a drifting daze of images
that get snatched away too soon
by the suns intrusive rays and some days
it is in the way I spread my toast too thick

We were wound tight around each other
in our anxious ways on days
when you hid from strangers to avoid
the dreaded conflict of simply saying no!

Where ever I go I hold you in my heart
Mavis you drifted into a painful passing
where pills and placebos lost their charms
and how your stout arms grew thin and frail

One day I visited swallowing my dread
and found you laughingly lucid
we strolled among well tended flowers and
you pointed at one saying
“the roses are so beautiful Chris”
and grief and tears mingle in the telling of this

Mavis Mother Matriarch swimmer in our pool
lover of cool breezes
seafood surprises by the welcome cool sands
you were so loved so loved even on those dark desperate
dementia days
when you frowned and said “Go Away”.

Chris Papps 2022