To Maw Maw: Soothsayer Of Rain Poem by Nika McGuin

Me, the only sibling-less child out of the bunch,
and my numerous cousins, were all gathered at Maw maw's house.
As we were obsessed with sleep-overs in our youth,
we begged and begged to sleep over at each other's houses
but everyone agreed that being down the bayou was the best.

We all converged on the car-porch.
I think it was painted green back then.
The memory has blurred some with time,
but as I remember it Maw maw was leaning on her old blue Lincoln Towncar
watching us play amongst one another.
She stood up suddenly and said, 'Y'all smell that dust? '
our little noses began to sniff the air
She said, 'that's how you know it's about to rain'
and to our wonder it soon did. Thus, we began to play in it
frolicking and singing 'If all the raindrops
were lemon drops and gumdrops, oh what a rain that would be.'
Until she fussed us that is, 'Get out that rain 'fore y'all get sick! '
and I, convinced of my immunity, replied,
'I ain't gon' get sick Maw maw; just give us five minutes, please? '
but of course I failed to convince her
and we were all made to return to dry land.

I wonder if we all share this memory
and if we all recall how to predict the rain.
Walking back today, I smelled again the rising of dust
just like the magic of childhood, I heard each drop
as it plopped upon the earth, rousing particles in its wake.
I took it all in, and let it carry me back to that green paint,
the blue car bumper that scarred my cheek in a game of freeze-tag,
Maw maw's big warm smile, her hugs warmer still,
and how she doted on me so endearingly.

Its been ages since our sleep-overs.
We've all aged and dissipated into our own lives
but there are so many things that for me will never fade
and they remind me of Maw maw on a daily basis.


Such as:
my flat feet,
that my momma says are due to Maw maw letting us go barefoot
as soon as we crossed the threshold.
Saying, "Let your feet catch some air! "

Tomatoes,
because I remember how she used to buy them for me.
I'd sit in the back seat quietly nibbling away.
Every now and then, I eat them uncut for nostalgia's sake.

Ants,
because there was that one time she took us fishing
and some ants were crawling all over the bait.
I was desperately trying to notify her of that fact
but apparently that message got lost in the mail
because from that day on she claimed that I was talking to the ants -
and to this day some cousins recall it and laugh.

Fishing itself,
because she took us with her so much.
They became some of the fondest memories I have -
that probably all of us have.
Along with visions of her vast collection of fishing hats
Some were caps, others sombreros,
all of which we were allowed to choose from.

Going to garage sales,
or 'hoppin'' as she called it,
because I received so many robes and pajamas whenever she went.
I've even kept some of the necklaces she gave me long ago,
even though I was so prone to losing my other jewelry.

Smoke, believe it or not,
I was always fascinated by the elegant vapors
that came coiling out of her cigarettes.
Of course, when I tried to touch them I was fiercely warned not to.
Hence, I learned that not everything beautiful is benevolent.

I could go on endlessly, but there's too much to tell
because she is such a core chunk of my being.
This is the woman who always came first in my prayers.
'God please, let Maw maw live to be 100, '
that was my childlike prayer for decades.
This is the woman who, whenever we talked,
Would playfully say, "Hey ol' girl, how the cat hoppin'? ! ? ! "

Though she is no longer here physically
The memories, lessons, and love she gave
will never leave us.
We love you Maw maw,
rest in peace.