ARTHONA {~’*’~}

My Grandmother was the very essence of sun and earth. She was fairy and coal dust!

I exhonerate…

I empathize with her.

Grandma weren’t no saint.

She was a queen.

the accordion box 

a ragged sarcophagus  

remnants of hymns and pocket-sized Kleenex

first casing, 

then creaking, 

then wafting a bouquet -

Freedent and cough drops and Estee Lauder

She was a queen. 

Sun in Gemini

her pallet-everlasting summer

painted her paper temple 

with southern peaches and seaside corals

crowned herself in the AM

with liquid moonstone 

from aerosol cans 

She was a queen. 

Just look at those hands

gnarly trees of life

wringing elation- in sink showers

blood thinners turned ivory canvases 

into art-as they were destined

Pollock spatters of manic joy

maroon, mauve, ochre, and indigo

She was a queen.

her rings- a stone for every nation

glint on glint on glint

foundation dried like sand over treasure

dull glints ringing

through the air as hands pat backs,

grab tissues, pass hard candies,

warm other hands

Oh! Appalachian queen, 

daughter of the highest hill,

steward over Dogwoods and honeysuckle,

may every drop of rain 

in these iridescent pools 

be an opal in your eternity crown.