The Dawn Mother Left Poem by Violetta Simatupang

The Dawn Mother Left



A week ago the old fat house-lizard, mother’s chat pal, was found lying blue behind her closet. In her grief mother buried it near a clay pot. Poor mother. She now had no living creature to talk to. I should have been there instead of being so muddled at work that it was too late at night to greet her.
Occasionally I caught her nattering with the lovely moon.

One dawn a star took leave to the earth, leaving a misty cloud heavy with traces. For a while mother’s sunken eyes were stared at me. I was startled. Princess...princess... princess..., ” her rigid voice ripped the debris of dreams as if she could no longer stand the world; all the while sealing my too undoubtedly regretful tears for death. The spattering flames under the boiling water and a pair of cups were the last witnesses. Mother never drank it. Her treasured rocking chair was getting older now with no occupant save a bleeding heart and the sheer prudence of an army widow.
And I, a care-lacking lunar daughter, now hope mother could leave in peace traversing in a journey along with stars that stabbed me with a guilt and an array of despicable questions: when did Mother start to get ill? Why had I not been more dutiful?

On my mattress I stared at a clicking house-lizard. My chat pal after Mother was enshrouded. ”Little lizard, little lizard, this loss has been so dreary. Troublesome.
Am I redeemed already?

POET'S NOTES ABOUT THE POEM
On a funeral of my best friend's mother
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