On August 4th. My Mother passed away, my heart and soul are aching, longing for her.

Mother of my birth, for how long were we together
in your love and my adoration of your self?
For the shadow of a moment as I breathed your pain
and you breathed my suffering. As we knew
of shadows in lit rooms that would swallow the light.

Your face beneath the oxygen tent was alive
but your eyes were closed. Your breathing hoarse
Your sleep was with death. I was alone with you
as it was when I was young but now only alone,
not with you. to become alone forever,
as I was learning, watching you become alone.

Earth is your mother as you were mine, my earth,
my sustenance, and my strength
and now without you I turn to your mother
and seek from her that I may meet you again
in rock and stone: whisper to the stone,
I love you; whisper to the rock, I found you;
whisper to earth, Mother, I have found her
and I am safe and always have been.

~ David Ignatow ~

(New and Collected Poems 1970-1985)