My Grandma’s Strength

Your days span almost a century,

Reaching back into misty foreign times

Now only a few have seen that

Which your eyes have witnessed

Harder times, simpler times

 

Life has given you equal measure

Happiness-sadness, hardships-joy

At times fate was cruel frowning down

Like thunder clouds

At times fate was kind

Bathing you in her golden smile

 

You went to college, became a teacher

Your hands have guided many

Helping lost souls to find their way

Kindness in your every act,

Your every breath

Giving more than you receive

 

Your strength is admired by many

It gives hope and comfort

Your strength defeated

Cancer’s ugly blooming growth

Carried you through two broken hips

Triumphed over your fractured pelvis

 

In the haggard face of Death

Your strength is a guiding light

When Death carried Grandpa to heaven

Much too early in his life

You kept your faith, your strength

And even when your eldest son

Went to live with Grandpa

Your strength, your faith was strong

 

Even now in your twilight years

Your strength persists, strong as ever

Even though your heart is troubled

And every beat might be your last

And pain's slippery twisting coils

 -Tighten -tighten round you

While the next generation find

Cancer’s bloomed a new

His silent deadly flower

Your strength is show

Imparted, admired, leaned upon

 

And yet fate has blessed you

Bathed you in her golden smile

Your family's grown and prospered

Your children all have married

And had children of their own

Your grandkids span the years

Six kids call you great-grandma

 

Fate has blessed you with her smile

Fate has cursed you with her frown

But all your life you've had the strength

To fight and win, where others fail,

And when at last your bright sun sets

Your day draws down to night

 I'll pray that you can run to;

My Grandpa's Room in Heaven,