Red's Wrap
Happiness. It's relative.
Wishing for More Weeds
In the hottest part of the summer
August when our lawn turns brown
Unwatered and drier than sand
My mother pulls weeds
Working her way up one side
And down the other of the gravel driveway
Pulling each dandelion growing along the
Edge of the straw of our lawn and the stones
Inching along, taking every blade
Moving stones to reach the roots
Baking in the unwatered heat
Wishing for more weeds
I see her from the road
Bent over the current weed
Her back and arms browner each day
The seam of the driveway straight and hairless
In the back, my dad is mowing
A sound of enterprise
Our household at work
I join my mother at the edge
Pulling weeds, moving down the line
She says nothing, but repeats my work
Finding the strands left behind
Digging under the stones for the roots
Wishing for more weeds
__________________________
This is a piece I wrote in 2003 for a writing class. It describes my mother and one of the ways she coped with her depression. I can see her now.
4 Comments on “Wishing for More Weeds”
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Snow Door | wisconsinacademy.org
Listen to Jan read her essay “Billy” presented on WUWM’s Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “At the Breakfast Bar” on WUWM Lake Effect
Jan’s essay “The Parish Hall,” on WUWM Lake Effect
“Fury Cannot Touch Me,” Modern Love, NYT, 9/29/11
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Jan, I used to get an email for each new post. What do I have to do to receive them again? I’ve missed so many, and used to get emailed comments as well?? Do I appear as a follower on your site?I like the new picture, and the look of your blog now!
Hi Susie, I don’t have an explanation but that did happen with someone else. Could you try signing up again? I wondered where you went and am now wondering if I got dropped from following you. I’m glad you like the new look. Jan.
Reblogged this on Red's Wrap and commented:
That it’s the last day of August reminds me of my mother being completely focused on pulling the weeds. It was what she needed to do but it took me years to understand why.