I remember waking that long-ago morning
I will never forget
One of those things that happens
Giving feelings of regret
We had been to our property
That bordered Brook Creek
Our group of children,
Parents and grandparents
Having a wonderful time
Picnic and all, including some wine
Traveling down to the water
Required a little finessing
Worth all the effort
The stream was a blessing
Places where warm tributaries
Blended with the cool
Just a lot of fun splashing around
Until it was time to go
That was when grandma
Trying to help the little ones
Slipped and hurt her toe
She thought it would be all right
I only hoped it would
Time went on and her problem remained
That’s when I started the, “what if”, game
Nothing would change what had happened
No one was assigned the blame, so
There was no pleading for forgiveness
I wish it hadn’t happened
It really made me sick, but
Sensitivity to things like that
Is part of my astrological makeup
The dear lady passed away
Close to being one hundred
Has been afflicted with dementia
For almost twenty years
I have not seen her in all that time
She wouldn’t even know me, but
I will never forget her or
Waking the next morning
Wishing it all had been a dream
Stanski
May 9, 2022, ^
Steve Haarman 