A smile was planted on her face.
Her sea-green eyes glistened in the sun.
She sat beside the window
drinking a hot cup of tea.
Feeling the warmth of her fragile hands,
the excitement as she shows us her floral pants.
Sadness in her eyes as she talks about her past.
In that moment, time moved fast.
She grew up in the north of Edmonton,
with young dreams of hopscotch and ice cream.
Life was just as it was in the iconic film Greece.
Dancing, singing and jazz music all around.
Working as a cashier for many years.
Bringing joy to people around her with a smile.
Her values stay as strong as a rock.
Her religion, family, and dignity is an everyday reminder to be a better person.
Her past is filled with strands of contentment.
Although she has dealt with the thorns of this world,
the rose rests in her hands.
It is truly a story to tell.
Love hurt her and broke her down,
but she stayed only for the hope that it will all change.
For decades thorns peeled through her skin
as she helplessly watched the petals flutter down
and die out.
Her kids brought her inspiration through bumpy roads.
She gave all she had and went through hell just for them.
Then one day it all changed.
She let go of the lifeless thorns
and out grew a beautiful rose.
Another love she found.
Although still old, love gave her a second chance.
She was head over heels for a man who treated her the way she should have been all along.
She is here today, better than ever.
Showing off her rose colored manicure and dolled up hair.
Still caring for herself as well as others.
She is a woman who is selfless, caring, loving and welcoming.
Her story deserves to be told.
Jane Tucker is an old woman I met at bow view manor elderly home. She is a very wise woman who has been through a lot. She has tasted the bitterness as well as the sweetness of this world, which led to a very experienced life. The rose in this poem symbolizes her love. The thorns of the first rose were her husband. He, in her words, was a very bad husband, but a good father. She stayed with him for about 30 years because of her kids, then finally left him. That’s when she let go of the thorns in this poem, a huge weight was lifted off her and she felt free. And the new rose that grew out was when she found another love. Today she is an incredibly strong woman who is understanding and open minded. She has a strong support system with her kids and grandkids. Even though she is old she still knows that it is important for her to do things for herself so she gets manicures, pedicures, gets her hair done and goes shopping. Jane Tucker is an amazing woman with so many stories and great advice, I am honored to meet her.
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Ayesha2018 June 5, 2018
Dear Sharon,
Thank you for sharing such a beautiful poem for us to read and I really admired reading it since you added your unique way of thinking and inputting that into a creative poem that you have created. I really adored one line; it was this line, “although she has dealt with the thorns of this world, the rose rests in her hands”. I felt that it was really true on how you expressed that in such a beautiful manner. Moreover, I really loved one particular line; that was, “her values stay as strong as a rock”. This line which consisted of a simile was really strong and held a strong position in your bow view manor poem. In your explication, you said that she had tasted the bitterness but the sweetness of it as well. I really liked the way you said that because it was so beautiful to read that and absorb it into my mind. Thank you for sharing such a heartwarming piece for the audience to read.
In terms of improvement, I would suggest that you make it longer. Not only that, in one of your sentences, you said “For decades thorns peeled through her skin”, you forgot to add a comma after decades. Moreover, you also forgot to add a comma after this sentence, “she sat beside the window”. I am not sure if adding commas where I told you to add them would be necessary but if it was the intention of you to place the commas where they are, then it would all right without it as well.
Once again, thank you sharing such a beautiful piece and I really admired it. I hope to read more of your blog and your writings.
Sincerely,
Ayesha Mateer
hefseeba557 June 20, 2018
Dear Sharon,
Wow, I’m so impressed!!!!!! We’ve been friends for a long time but how come I never knew you were such a creative writing?! First of all, thank you so much for sharing such a breathtaking poem, it beautifully encapsulated a heartbreaking life story. Every line had great depth and meaning, I especially liked the line, “She let go of the lifeless thorns/ and out grew a beautiful rose.” That line itself sums up the life of Jane Tucker! I also loved the metaphors you used as it worked perfectly with you topic. Above all you wisely interlaced the rose into this piece, it is pure geniusness (lol I know its not a word but it works to describe this master piece 🙂
As for improvements, I suggest you space out your poem to set stanza’s that way readers will find it easier to read and that would work well with your poem. Another suggestion I have is perhaps alternate side alignment ever time you switch back and forth between her life and the comparison of her life to a rose. That being said, these are just suggestion, keep the poem as you desire it to be! 🙂
Once again thank you for sharing and please keep writing!!
Sincerely,
Hefseeba