My grandson is in a poetry class to fulfill one of his University requirements, and it inspired me to write another poem. I haven't written one for a long time, and this one is "free verse".
A Good Day to Die
by Lola Cain
October 31, 2021
It was a good day to die
Spring had just brought new life:
Trees were leafing out
Birds were singing
The grass was green
And hope for new beginnings was alive
But not for her
It was a good day to die
Life for her had lost meaning
She was unable to see her purpose
She gave up on life prematurely
And in choosing death she gave up on herself
And on my siblings and me
She chose that day as her goodbye
It was a good day to die
A day that poured pain into many lives
A day that left sorrow in its wake
A day that would never be forgotten
A day that ended her personal losses
And became the start of ours
A selfish day that is cemented in memory
But for her it was apparently a good day to die
And the fallout of her choice?
We’ve become more resilient
We are more tolerant and stronger
Than we would have been
Had we never endured that pain
Still, for us, it was not a good day for her to die
In memory of Nellie Nina Scott Rice, mother to Duane, Ken, Lola, and Gary. Nellie committed suicide April 3, 1953, and the age of 37. Forever missed. Forever in our hearts. Forever loved.
