a tribute to my mom

My dear, sweet, wonderful mom

passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday

from a torn aorta

and my world has been turned upside down...

so bear with me as I share the last photos of her 

(always with her camera in hand)

and three of the hundreds of poems she left us.

A WINDOW IN TIME

by

Phyllis Selleck

Absently, I eat dinner.

A candle on the table

glows orange

and outside the window

a moth flutters.

My cat chases the gray wings,

extending his black and brown stripes

as he swats -

claws clicking against the glass pane.

A blaze of clarity

illumines shadows in the room

and in my mind.

There is only this moment -

a window in time -

when nothing is growing older -

not the cat, moth or myself.

The window closes

and the vision ends;

each of us resumes

unfolding, aging, transcending - 

flowing through time.

and she had a sense of humor...

SAND IN THE SPINACH

by

Phyllis Selleck

It's always been like that -

slight irritations -

not important in themselves

but always there, grit

amongst healthy green leaves.

However, thorns

would be worse than sand.

So, if given a choice,

I'd take sand over thorns.

I would not like 

to lie in a bed of roses.

and she freaked me out with this photo of me holding my dog

that she just happened to photoshop for fun...

ha ha you got me mom...

and I just found this poem

which takes my breath away.

MIRROR TREATS

by

 Phyllis Selleck

As I grow older

I discover in the mirror

others in myself:

my mother

in a moment of vulnerability

before she learned to mask the hurts;

plump-cheeked, placid

Grandma Jennie touching me

with round approval;

the child I was 

with wistful look.

I wonder -

will my daughter look in the mirror 

and catch her breath

at the sight of us?

You bet I will mom...

I will miss you more than I can imagine.

I hope you are photographing and putting into words

the glory of your new home.