The Secret

Its a secret
Its not a secret anymore
I'm going to be a grandmother!
WOW!
Life growing inside the womb
A baby
It is the first baby in a long time
The first grandchild
The first great grandchild
The first great great grandchild
I wonder if it is a boy or a girl
I hope it is a boy
I think it is a girl
Either way I get what I want
What I hoped for
Or what I thought

My precious daughter
My first born
Now will be a mother too!
I, a grandmother
It is real
I pray for the new life
So much to look forward to
It is a breath of fresh air
My family welcoming a newborn
I feel proud
I can't wait to hold the baby
In my arms and tell
My precious grandchild
I Love You

A Penny In My Pocket

A penny
A penny
What's a penny?
An insignificant coin?
I count it
As good fortune
When I find a penny
On the ground
One
Two
Three
I have three pennies
In my pocket
I feel good
I feel blessed
I feel confident
When I put my hand
In my pocket
And feel the coins
Rub against each other
I know that
I am worth
So much more

Hank’s Dying Story

Why Hank? Why Me?
Why did I have to be there?
The hospital
All I heard was Oakland Kaiser
He’s at Oakland Kaiser
He was not doing well
I told my daughter
She cried
“Not Hank, Not Hank.”
“I need to see him.”
I don’t know where he is.
So, I had to find him
Find him I did.
Room 623
In the worst shape possible
Did he know it was me?
Half of the time
But he knew two Leticias
He was trying to figure out which one
Many words
Some I understood
A repeated story
I already had heard
Held his hand
He was hanging on for dear life
Dear it was
He was fading fast
The small black box
Where is it?
Small black box
Second request
Nothing I could see
Minutes later
Under his arm
The button to push for relief of the agonizing pain
It was agonizing for me too
Oh, the black box
Gray and round
I felt responsible for his pain
Held his hand
Smoothed his hair
No brush
“I’m not doing it for the man.”
Sang songs
Insty spider
Sang last three word with me
You don’t have to be tough as nails, No
Tough as nails
Tough as nails
It is okay to let go
His last words to me
Two days before he died
Thank you
Insty Spider
Up the spout again

Crunching Leaves

Stomp, Stomp, Stomp,
Crunch, Crunch, Crunch,
A favorite pastime from childhood
Crunching leaves
While we were walking home
My siblings and I
On a tree lined street
We would race to catch the next leaf
Even now, years later
The satisfaction is still the same
Crunching leaves
With every stomp I feel a release
Of energy and emotion
Like the popping bubble-wrap
Awwh, music to my ears
I feel like a kid again