Mary Liz

 

We are sad to learn of the death on December 30 of our friend and group member, Mary Liz Riddle.  Mary Liz is a recognized poet and practitioner of book art in the Northeast Kingdom.  

We will miss her.

Laying My Brother To Rest

My brother died again today,

as he did yesterday, and

as he will all over again tomorrow.

Will it forever and always be this way,

my brother dying daily?

Each day begins afresh in silence

like a grief aborning.

When I awake there he is waiting

for me to be up and about

the endless business of mourning.

I lay me down each night

only to find he's there before me

surrounded by echoes of his last words,

So much to do, so little time

Time to lay my brother to rest

in the convoluted warren of

our shared memories I alone

now carry for us both,

here on my side of the grave,

while a side there is.

my brother dying daily?

We thank Kathryn Kiker for sending this poem that she'd asked Mary Liz to send to her after hearing Mary Liz read it at one of our Wednesday Poets meetings.  Katheryn comments, "What caught my attention, to bring me to ask her to send it, was how she captured the relentlessness of death and mourning, how we wake to face it every day, at least for awhile, if not forever. "like a grief aborning" - have you ever heard it put so well?!