There Was One Person Left in the World … to Remember Granny Gee!
By Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee/@GeeGranny on Twitter
A young child saw an old woman sitting on the bench
In the park … she seemed to be in deep thought
Old woman … what are you thinking about, he asked
She turned her wrinkled face to him … focused
Her green eyes began to crinkle into the biggest smile
Lips following by widening to show she had no teeth
The young boy watched in amazement as she laughed
Her shoulders shook … she coughed several times
I was hoping someone like you would come along!
The young boy asked her why was she hoping for such!
He was afraid now … why she might try to eat him
He had read Hansel and Gretel, and the mean woman
The old woman saw fear like a dark cloud
Move across his big, brown eyes to block the light
It immediately left once she began speaking to him
Little boy, go get your mama … I have something important to say
I need to have her here because you are just a child
I have no one left in this old world … I want to give you something
I have waited each day on this bench for a young child
To pay attention to me … to notice an old woman
Everyone has forgotten about … I have something for you
Bring your mama and we’ll talk more with her here
Hurry now, I don’t have much time
I may not be here tomorrow … I need to see your mama now
The little boy turned to look for his mama
Saw her not too far away watching him
He waved for her to come … she came quickly
Mama, the old woman wants to talk to you
She turned to the old woman who seemed to be asleep
Yes, how can I help you she asked the old woman
The old woman opened her green eyes
They lit up with the most beautiful smile
Her lips followed in a toothless grin
I have something for your little boy
There’s no one else in this whole world
For me to leave it to … I’m all alone now
I may not be here tomorrow, I don’t have much time
Take this … don’t say a word, I know what I’m doing
Your little boy took time for me … it meant the world
To have someone notice me before I die
Every day I have sat here hoping … someone would see me
I thought I was invisible … until your young child came along
Oh how wonderful it felt to hear a child’s voice speak to me
I used to have a grandson once … his mama kept him from me
I had a granddaughter too … they are grown now
They never came looking for me as I hoped
That’s okay … I don’t hurt anymore from that pain
Only from the pain in this old body I’ve lived in so long
I am homeless … I am used to being that way
I’ve been for the past five years living on the street
Now … it’s time to give your young boy something
I won’t be able to ever give my grandchildren
May I pretend for a moment your child
Is my grandson … talk to him … give him something from my heart
The mama nodded her head … tears fell from her eyes
The old woman touched her heart … she felt she was going to die
She saw it in the old woman’s green, green eyes
What is your name, child? My name is Stevie, I’m seven years old
Stevie, with your mama’s permission I want to give you something
Something to make your life, her life … much better
Would you like that? Stevie looked up at his mama
She nodded yes … he looked back at the old woman, smiled
Mama says it’s okay … what can it be?
The old woman took out a shoe box wrapped in plastic
It was taped up securely to keep out the rain
She told the little boy … this is for you and your mama
There’s ten-thousand dollars in it … it’s all I have in this world
What? Why, didn’t I live in a house if I had so much?
I wanted to have something to be remembered by
I wanted to give it to grandchildren … they didn’t come
You are here, Stevie … for the time-being … you are my grandson
I want you to have this … now, it’s time for you to go
The mama started to object … saw something in the old woman’s eyes
The mama’s lips began to tremble … more tears came to her eyes
This old woman had made their life good … now, she was going to die
Tears came into the old woman’s eyes as she smiled her big smile
You’ve got to go now … tell no one … that’s my gift to you
For caring for me … in my last moments … go now!
As the mama, son walked off they looked back
The old woman seemed to be in deep thought
She was looking at the sunshine … the tears glistened on her face
They kept walking … didn’t look back to hear
The old woman say … I’ve been waiting for you, son
I think it’s time for me to come home now
She reached for his hand with hers … if anyone noticed
They would see an old woman reach out into thin air
Never know she was seeing her son’s hand
As she reached for his hand, the light went out of her eyes
Her hand fell gently to her lap
Head touched her chest … she seemed to be asleep
If anyone noticed her … they didn’t
She sat there another week … not in life but, in death
Someone came to take her body off
To dispose of it … hell, she had no one
She was just one of the homeless they got every day
Never knowing, caring … she used to be someone
Who had a family … had a home … a child … grandchildren
If they had known … they wouldn’t have cared
That’s the way it is … who cares about the homeless?
They went through her pockets only to find
Nothing there … the old woman had just been on time
She looked down upon her old body, smiled a young woman’s smile
She floated around in new-found freedom
Bounced around the clouds like a young child
She’d made possible a good life for a young boy
She’d whispered in his ear her name
He would always remember her as …
Granny Gee … for a few moments he was her … grandson
If one listened closely they would have heard
Happy laughter like wind chimes ringing on the air
There was one person left in the world to … remember Granny Gee!
Photos/Poem owned, written by Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee/@GeeGranny on Twitter
Artwork by Gloria Faye Brown/aka Granny Gee
Note by this author:
This is a poem that came to mind as I sat thinking of what to write. You know how it is when one daydreams … thinks about things in their life.
This is just a reflection of some of those thoughts. Oh … this Granny Gee doesn’t have ten-thousand dollars! I wish! 🙂 This is just a poem!
Colors of My Life 
OK you got me tearing up here!!! 😥
Love and hugs my friend – Granny Gee!!! 🙂
Prenin.
🙂
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