Poets Salon: Mothers and Daughters

POETS SALON

“My mother on right with her mother and father at Port Said, Egypt,” circa 1930 (Photo courtesy of Kathabela Wilson)

– 06/16/21

Hosted by Kath Abela Wilson

Mother Earth

years later
how the wind
shapes her face

sun and shadow
the shifting sands
of forgetfulness

the me in memory
face to face
with the dunes

thanks to my daughter
I learn to mother
myself

~ Kath Abela

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Roses in my hand. Art by Peggy Castro

Peggy Castro

Forgiveness

I am staring at the beautiful roses my oldest daughter sent from L.A. for my 76th birthday. They speak to me of rebirth and forgiveness. It has been a long, hard 76 years filled with trauma, abuse and endless gaslighting. Yet here in Tacoma, living with my youngest daughter, I feel I have finally broken the chains that have held me all my life — the chains of psychosis and terror. More importantly I am ready to forgive those who treated me so badly.

I have to say, it did not start with me. It started with my daughters. They were right by my side when I hit rock bottom and were caught up in my tsunami of destructiveness. Yet they somehow forgave me and loved me through it all. It is a humbling experience.

I truly get that the people who hurt me were blind — I was not the trash they thought I was, and they could not see my real beauty. I can even pity them because in the long run they only damaged themselves.

I look at the roses, understanding that the ultimate gift of forgiveness is the freedom and infinite compassion realized in that precious bouquet.

roses gathered
in my hands
the faith of my children

Ο Ο Ο

Mother/Daughter, by Sharon Hawley

Sharon Hawley

How the Wind Blows

gathering experience
in the shelter
of parents

walking the way
of daughter
a time for learning

the task of age
to learn who me is
in a windy world

life unfolds in a spiral
a child begins her path
a father finds her reborn

in fullness of age
the spiral widens
a woman beyond help

beyond family
finds mother
in shifting sand

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Mothers and Daughters: Quotes and Credits

Peggy Castro lived in Alhambra, California for many years. She recently moved in with her daughter in Tacoma, Washington.

Sharon Hawley is a poet adventurer who lives in Pasadena, California. You can see the archive of her trips, including her most recent May 2021 excursion in Death Valley at this link.

> Submissions are being accepted for the next Poets Salon theme: Fathers and Sons.

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Send short poems, haiku, senryu, tanka, cherita haibun, tanka prose, short prose poems, etc., or your own unique approach, to Kath Abela (click here to email her directly) or via a Facebook message (@Kathabela).

1. Send directly in email or message, no attachments, except photos.
2. Suggest an original theme you would like to see, or consider:
   Openings, Taking care of one another, Encouragement, Good humor in challenging times, Consolations.
   
3. Send a short bio, and comments on the theme.
4. Send several photos or artwork by you, or a friend that would complement your writing if possible. Include one landscape (horizontal) photo or artwork.
   
5. We like to vary the poets, but please send every few months if you like, and contributions can be saved for later. Kath Abela will answer within a week from your sending.

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