Grandma is a Goddess

never pants (till she was over 60!) the blue polka dot onefor special occasionsshe wore with hergrandmother pinwhen we went to Derbygreatest food on earthSaturday morning pancakesSunday dinner fried chickenlilacs blossomed everywhererose scented perfumeben gay and dippity doo"It was darker than a stack a black cats"

the night her grandma died

I remember her story

vividly

brave warrior

stole coal from train cars

to heat their home

started work at 12

to feed 11 young siblings

helped the garment union

get fair wages for women

worked hard all her life

widowed too young

my father left

she picked up the slack

made sure we always had

all we needed

and more

walked down the tracks

to our side of town

to babysit while Mom worked

sturdy, stubborn.

funny, friendly,

matriarch, Goddess

© 2006

photo: Greatest Grandmother Ever: Helen Elizabeth Kellar with my daughter, Rebecca Jean Combs

© 1990