The Family Tidbit.... Poem by RIC BASTASA

when mother got sick
she opened the bird cage
and let all the lover-birds
fly away.

when she got well, believing
on the correctness of her
decisions, she bought a white
orchid with flowers already
from an ambulant vendor,

then life with her moved on,
she felt no need for anyone,
she did not ask me any question
when i arrive home,

the kitchen is ready with the
food she cooked and the table is
ready but she never asked me
if i had already eaten or if i was
hungry or if i wanted to eat

she continued with her embroidery,
at night with her glasses on
under her bed lamp and
then she turned off the light
as she was tired and needed much
sleep.

when she died i never told
my siblings about this and
i said to myself, there is no
need, we have survived life even
without to invoke what is love,
what is family, what future is
there, what past we had.