September month of Severance







September Oh, September is replete,

Is saturated so abundantly,

With memories on which my soul does feed,

That branded, marked it ineffaceably.



September, beautiful September Oh,

You brought me gayety, elation, thrill,

But also sorrow bitter grief and woe

Both, love's delight and the grim reaper's chill.



September, when the leaves turn red and gold,

And in detachment fall from bush and tree,

In severance from cheerful  bloom of old,

Reminding us of temporality.



September 4th my father did depart,

On a most glorious September day,

It nearly  broke my loving mother's heart,

And I cried much,- but was so far away.







On one September 8th, she  too did go,

Lo! - on her favored feast she left this earth,-

When swallows rally in a lengthy  a row,

To bid farewell - our Blessed Mother's birth.







A national disaster too occurred,

On a most beautiful September morn,

When towers crumbled into dust and dirt,

And many souls to heaven high were borne.



September, month of cruel Severance

When Ocean's savage killing waves surged high,

When foul Katrina/Rita Hurricanes

Did smother many an agonizing cry.



But glad September days with bike trips far,--

To see Steve kicking pedals was delight,

And press with spunk upon the handle bar,

And then looked back, to see I was all right.



One day the bikes stood idly in the rack

The funny little  bell did no more squeal,

But ambulettes came rushing forth and back

My darling, Stephie-boy was gravely ill.



September nights,- Oh vigils filled with love,

My darling's brow was wet but he dismissed

Contraptions furnished by a doctor?s staff,

And gadgets ordered by the specialist.



One day he improved,- high beat my heart with joy,

And fervent hopes ignited  that I nursed,

For rosy colored looked my Stevie-boy

But, sorrow,- on the  next day he reversed.



The ambulances raced through avenues

Again on many a September eve,

While happy people  grilled their barbecues

I held  my Stephen?s hand in helpless grief.



No more: "In thirty Days around the World"--

My darling's cherished favored  bathroom tune,

While he with gusto shaving towels unfurled,

Or tinkered  tink-a-tink with mug and spoon.



And once again the ambulances raced,-

Oh sad repeat conveyance forth and back,

Their sirens shrieked, their head-lights flashed and blazed,

And idly stood the bikes on our rack.



Don't fight! the doctors  said, discreet but grim,-

For I did fight as does a ioness,

For all I had on earth, my Steve, - for hi him,

And dull resigned a peace felt odious.



Soon whirled and swirled through the star-lit night,

Weird life-sustaining dread machinery,

With tanks and tubes and vials by the side

My trebling fingers handled hourly.



Three times the plunger will have to descend!

The nurse had said- "to suck in the morphine!

No more! - but do it with a steady hand!

"Be calm, efficient, poractise discipline!"



And so I rammed the plunger dread and loath,

And lethal -- who could understand what pain?

Twixt tears and kisses in my darling's mouth

Oh tormewnt for which words are void and vain.



I cried to the Almighty for relief,-

A soul to back me up in so much  woe,

But there was none to blunt fatigue and grief

But death'sngel touching Stephen' brow.



September 1st,- the birthday of my Steve,

September 3rd our sunny wedding day,-

And a September 30th he took his leave

And changed for wings his mortal coil of clay.



Oh glorious September day, - its last,

Oh unforgettable September day!

My treasure on this earth, my Stephen passed,

My Knight in Shining Armour went away.









*******

September with its anniversaries,

Fixed in the mind and on the calendar

But I decline to live by memories,

dwarfed by loves living and bright shining star.



by Elizabeth Dandy




Author's Notes/Comments: 

In memory of my beloved husband Stephen Dandy
+++9/30/02

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Ruth Lovejoy's picture

This is a very emotional write and I appreciate you sending me copy in html I tried to print it could not so printed from site here. Though Sept beautiful Im sorry it has left you with so many sad memories. My condolences on your loss of your husband