Sonya Poem by Charlotte Ballard

Sonya was the nurse
That used to come
to tell us-
Dinner's done
Put up your plates-

One gentle nudge to send
Old Chip
Scurrying on his way.
Pretty pills
Dropped from her
Open hand
Like rainbows almost
After a Summer rain
White floating hair
Like an angel
She was.
Simple jokes
Gently told
Like tiny stones of wisdom
Oft repeated-
By her and us
Again, and again.

A dark day came
Our angel flew away
New Jersey, someplace
Not here.
The tiny stones dropped
from gnarled hands.
Anger words, sad words
Spilled and flowed on the ward
Drawing the doc, (who only came
on Sundays) .
We tried to tell him:
The rainbows had
dissipated into the
tears. But it only brought
Shots, and pills and all the
Fun was lost.