Jim Daniels: Strawberry

the final time I saw my mother
she was trying to find
the last strawberry on her plate.
I walked up behind her

and kissed the top of her head
and said I love you. She reached 
up a sticky hand and brushed 
away where I kissed

then lowered it again 
into the juicy bowl. I was going 
to say we never know which 
strawberry will be our last

but I think she knew—
damn slippery thing.

Copyright 2022 Jim Daniels

Jim Daniels‘s many collections of poetry include Gun/Shy (Wayne State University Press, 2021). He lives in Pittsburgh where he taught at Carnegie Mellon University as the Thomas Stockham Baker University Professor of English. 

2 comments on “Jim Daniels: Strawberry”

1. Barbara Huntington

   May 9, 2022

   

   Oh, too many thoughts today of mom’s Alzheimer’s. Mothers Day. And now her birthday, May 10 and the jacaranda in full purple where she stood at the window snd declared its beauty, over and over—each time the first time.

   LikeLiked by 1 person

   Reply
   • Vox Populi

     May 10, 2022

     

     Beautifully said, Barbara!

     LikeLiked by 2 people

     Reply

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