Thursday, June 28, 2012

I Found a Merry Widow

at the racetrack today. When she said
she was seventy, I almost took the paint
clean off a stock car.  Her husband
of many years retired in '05,
then hurried to die - before

what they had been
waiting for began.

She was there with another man,
one young at heart
who said yes right away

when the racing dream
called him yesterday.

She had tats all over, love colors
permanently inked - reminding her
to decide to choose life,
and say yes to loving again,
and say yes to moving on,

and say yes to throwing away
the cumbersome weight of things.

A tattoo of two hands permanently
reminds her of her first man's
workaholic love that kept dreams
waiting until it was too late.

She was pissed as she missed
him - for this.

Grandkids seek and find the
inked hands hiding, and caress the
flower heart when they hug her warm
skin. They remember grandpa's love
holding them like this.

So does she.

Each flower holds a
memory they get to retouch
over and over again - like when he
balanced his teeth on his head
or put them backwards and upside
down to hear them SHRIEK.

See this other flower? When they touch
this one they see again the cigarettes
he stuck up his nose
or in his ears
to make them laugh.

So does she.

Inked love never wrinkles. When
you touch it, it stays smooth.

So does she.





This woman was light this morning. I borrowed it. 


Evergreen State Fairgrounds Speedway. Richard Petty Race Car Driving Experience. 



6 comments:

Anonymous said...

WOW!
ss

Nancy said...

Kathleen,
I could picture the whole delightful exchange through your tender words. What a sweet time it must have been for both of you.
Nancy

Anonymous said...

wow - how absolutely beautiful - mad me cry - i had no idea you remembered so much of my conversation - brief as it was - thnx so much!!!!! i love it - and i did respond to your email also

sharon
i dont like publishing anonymous - but i dont have a profile any of the choices i had - heheh

Anonymous said...

Do you get the images of what you are going to write in your mind before the words come out on paper? It is an honor to be reading as your dreams of writing become a reality for you. Pam

Kathleen Overby said...

Pam, that is exactly how it happens. I see pictures and write them down. Thank you friend.

laurie said...

thanks for sharing the light! Your words prompt emotions rich and full of life!