going to Grammy's house

Grammy lived far enough
that a visit was a production,
Mama packing us into the car
with pursed lips and sharp motions.
the whir of the car
was mimicked inside by Daddy’s soothing
voice, and we’d sit for hours,
reading or playing,
or kicking each other
until Mama couldn’t stand it any longer
and we sang seven part harmony
down country roads.

I have a confession:
it was mostly my fault.
I am the oldest,
and trained them to fear me.

no music at Grammy’s house.
just things to look at but not touch,
with Styrofoam in every
window to keep the curtains from fading
to a paler brown.
no light touched the corners,
kept spotlessly clean,
the sheets stiff
the beds made as sharp as hotel corners,
and in the background, Grammy’s voice,
gentle and relentless.

with the distance of time and space
I recognize in Grammy’s voice
the reason Mama tucks
her worry away, never letting it
hover to stain our air.

Grammy fed us well,
on molasses cookies and mashed potatoes
and grilled cheese made of the kind of bread
Mama never bought,
but Grammy never ate with us.
she played waitress,
then retired to her granite table
on her little red stool
where she could jump up in a moment.

at Grammy’s funeral,
I thought about her—
a difficult life made her a difficult
woman, never able to ask for warmth.
and I was glad Mama had the strength
to break that cycle.

as we left her house,
Grammy stood on the porch
and waved us away,
and Mama reminded us
to twist around and wave back,
but before we could,
she turned and shut her door.

line count: 54

Prompt for: Jan 7, 2016 ▼

Subject or Theme: Today (116 years ago) was my grandmother's birthday. What kind (good, bad, horrific, magnificent, massive or nil) of an impact did/does a grandparent have/had on your life? Not you as a grandparent, but one of your grandparents.

Word(s) to Include: mimic, distance, confession, granite (or any derivatives of these words)
Forbidden Word(s): love, child, (or any derivatives, compound or hyphenations of these words)
Additional Parameters: At least 24 lines or a form that is 24 lines or more. non-rhyming. Remember, do not use forbidden words ANYWHERE, including title or the brief description.