James Crews: Finding my Mother

The day you passed away, I stumbled
along icy sidewalks, searching for any
sign of you, but feeling only the crunch
of salt beneath my boots, breathing in
the sting of diesel smoke and roasting meat.
Then I looked up to find a young woman
walking in front of me, wearing your color—
her dark purple sweatshirt pulled over
a pair of skin-tight, light violet jeans—
and how could I not think you were
winking at me from wherever you are now,
sending this woman rushing into a cafe,
here then gone in a flash of the same
purple as your bedroom walls and sheets,
your towels, and the oversized nightshirts
you took to wearing at the end, becoming
your own burst of color there on the couch,
no matter how gray or lightless the day
might have seemed at first.

James Crews’s recent books include a poetry anthology The Wonder of Small Things and a collection of prose Kindness Will Save the World: Stories of Compassion and Connection. As a professional speaker, reader, and workshop leader, he has touched audiences all over the world with his message of healing and hope through the power of writing.

Copyright 2024 James Crews