Reunited Poem by Sandra Martyres

I still imagine her sitting in her arm chair
Twirling her large rosary beads with her
Long sinewy fingers and praying silently
Very often she would seem half asleep
Yet always alert to the slightest sound

Her face was the picture of serenity
Nothing in the world ruffled her ever
She read the obit column every day
Without commenting even if she saw
A familiar name or face in the paper

She probably recited an extra rosary
For the soul of the departed friend
Then one day I heard a distinct cry
As she glanced through the newspaper
It fell from her hand she looked pained

Suddenly that sense of peace vanished
Tears rolled down her cheeks steadily
She did not speak for several minutes
I scanned through the obituaries column
But found no name that I knew in the list

When she did finally speak she insisted
That we send for a priest immediately
When he arrived- we left the room and
Waited patiently for him to finish and
Explain all her troubles if permissible

He emerged from her room very quietly
With worry writ all over his aged face
He called the family together and told us
That our Aunt Jessica had just passed
A day after her twin sister had died

Everyone looked up in a state of shock
No one had any inkling about her twin
Apparently born retarded she was sent
To a home for special children - later when
Aunt accidentally found out they denied it

But she was not one to give up very easily
She did her own detective work and located
The home where her sister was lodged and
The name, under which she was registered
The child was moved out before she saw her

Although she maintained that calm facade
The fate of her sister often troubled her
Sot he day she saw a news article about
A depressed lady with her sister's name
Having commited suicide she was devastated

When the priest confirmed her worst fears
She wept pitifully made her peace with God
Closed her eyes and said that she was joining
Her dead sister -whom she could not meet
At least they would be reunited in heaven