Remembrance

My Oma passed away last week Sunday. She was an absolutely wonderful woman, and her creative spirit was passed down to my mom and my aunts, and to my cousins and me. I strongly feel the urge to memorialize her through poetry.

Resilient 

She survived the polio 
That threatened her life 
And despite the doubts
Learned to ride a bike
Just like her healthy brother

She resisted during the war
That oppressed her freedom
And undeterred by the risks 
Recorded the events in her village
Just like an amateur journalist 

She prevailed slow economic recovery 
That delayed her upcoming marriage 
And in spite of the many trials 
Began a family with her beloved 
Just like the mother she’d dreamed of being

She persevered through sorrow  
When her beloved passed away 
And regardless of her increasing age
Continued to live in her own house 
Just like the independent woman she was

She persisted undeterred by arthritis 
That restricted her ability 
And despite the struggles 
Kept on knitting and painting 
Just like the artist she always was

Her Hands 

They wrote poems, 
gripped a paintbrush, 
knitted baby blankets, 
sewed many dresses, 
rolled boardgame dice, 
held the phone for hours

Even when arthritis 
began to set in 
her talented hands, 
adorned by rings 
symbolizing loved ones,
could always hold 
another’s hand 
and share love 

Her Stories 

My Oma always had a story to tell
 
Sometimes it was historical, about living 
In the occupied Netherlands during the war

On occasion it was romance, about how 
My Opa won her affection and how they fell in love

Other times it was adventure, about their travels 
Across Canada, Europe, and the Middle East 

Every so often it was nostalgic, about when 
She taught a Home Ec class in a high school  

From time to time, it was with a touch of pride 
Like when her artwork was displayed at the library 

My Oma always had a story to tell 
And they were always worth remembering 

Oma with a copy of her book “Acts of Remembrance,” which recounts her experiences as a young girl living through WWII. You can purchase a copy of it here.

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