Tag: grandmother

A poem for my Momma

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Heads up: Have a tissue nearby! 

Lozan - Poem for her Mom - Shafika (1)

Shafika* 

~©Lozan Yamolky

 

 

She was always busy her work was never done; 

I’ve seen her go so fast yet I’ve never seen her run. 

 

 

The list of her daily duties were tedious and endless; 

even with disability she was anything but careless. 

 

 

She endured his abuse and never rolled that dice, 

she brushed it off as she searched our heads for lice. 

 

 

She didn’t repeat ‘I love you’ much there was no time for that; 

caring for us was what her love was all about. 

 

 

We tried to follow the rules, breaking them, we didn’t dare; 

whenever we were threatened, she turned into our mama bear. 

 

 

All that ‘when you have your own children you will understand’, 

I wish I knew what it meant, oh wouldn’t that be grand? 

 

 

I appreciate what she has done fold over folds now;

when I try to do some of what she has done, I say ‘holy cow’! 

 

 

I am a good mama because I learned from the best; 

I hope no one is keeping scores, I hope this is not a test. 

 

 

Let the entire world hear me, let them all know, 

the love in me she planted continues to grow. 

 

 

I love my mama until the day I die

I sure hope my poem won’t make her cry. 

 

——— ~©Lozan Yamolky

*The meaning of her Arabic name Shafika is: compassionate, tender, the one that eases the pain

This poem was published on the online Royal City Literary Art Society eZine May 2017 issue. https://issuu.com/rclas/docs/may_2017_rclas_ezine_issue45  See link.

Graphics are done by our wonderful, talented and beautiful Janet Kvammen 🙂

When I Forget

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DWGO2022

When I Forget

 

Remind my son
when I forget his name,
that I knew it before he was born.

Remind the love of my life
when I no longer know who he is,
that I made a vow to love him
to the end of my days.

Remind my sisters
when I become lost not knowing where I live,
to water the flowers in my garden.

Remind my friends
when I forget who I am,
that I was always there;
in good times and bad.

Remind my grandchildren
when my legs forget how to walk,
that I used to dance
to beautiful Arabian music.

Remind my nephews and nieces,
when I forget the many memories I made;
they are all captured in photographs,
in poems and in stories I shared.

Remind my caregivers;
in my younger years,
I was a care provider
and treated my patients
with dignity, tenderness, and care;
I hope they do the same.

When I forget how happy I used to be,
remember how the simple,
free things
brought me joy.

Hugs from friends,
and sitting on my porch swing
made me happy.

Remember how chirping birds
were a symphony to my ears.

Watching sunrises, sunsets
and waves rolling onto shorelines
always made me happy.

Drinking tea,
writing and reading made me glad.

Hiking in the forest,
nature sounds
and touching trees
made me feel so alive.

So, when I recall none of these things,
do not forget that I am a poet;
the one who wrote this poem.

 

© Lozan Yamolky
From: Counting Waves
By: Silver Bow Publishing 2017

 

To Nana

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I found an old letter I have written back in 2004 to my Nana Fatim (may she rest in peace). The printed letter was in a file on my computer that I have not looked at for years.
I am thankful that someone read this letter to her in Baghdad because I did speak to her few weeks after that letter was sent and she told me she was the photos I sent. Oh I miss her so much and I know my words are echoed by all my sisters and brothers who also loved her the same if not more.

She was one a amazing woman. I love her forever.

إلى حبيبة قلبي نه نه فاطم… إلى ٲحن و أعز نه نه باعالم كله نه نه فاطم

 

حياتي و نور عيوني اتمنى من كل أعماق قلبي ان تكوني على خير و صحة عافية.

عمري نه نه فاطم والله مشتاقة لكِ إلى حد مستحيل يوصف بالكلمات وصدقيني نه نه فاطم ما يمر علي يوم واحد – يوم واحد إذا ما أذكر إسمچ الطيب على لساني لو بقلبي إلي ابداً ابداً ماينساچ ولو يوم واحد.

 

نه نه فاطم انتي غّيرتي حياتي كلتها بقلبكِ و بطيبكِ و بصوتكِ الدافي و إيدچ الناعمة حبيبتي و عمري نه نه فاطم انتي احسن معلمة بها لعالم كلها و كلشي دا أسوي بكل يوم هنا يذكرني بيچ نه نه فاطم ولله ولله إذا بس بيدي نه نه فاطم انطي حياتي الباقية كلتها بس اشوفچ فد لحضة و أبوس إيديچ الحلوة …

 

نه نه فاطم انتي علمتيني كلشى اعرفة اليوم. اني هواية احبچ نه نه فاطم ولله بس لو بيدي وبس لو عندي إمكانية, ولله لا تشوفيني علا بابچ واگفة بدل هذي الورقة الي اتجنني لاُنه هي بيدچ بهاي اللحظة بدالي اني لوزان ٲو مثل ما كنتي انتي تسميني لوزينه.

 

نه نه فاطم اني اعرف اشگد إنتي تحبينا واعرف انو إنتي تعبتي علينا هواية هواية  بس اريدچ تعرفين انه لو من صدگ چنت اني أعرف الغربة هلگد راح تبعدنا و هلگد صعب و غالي الرجوع اليك, والله والله لا كنت احضنچ بكل قوتي  وما رحت ذاك اليوم من ودعناچ بأربيل گبال شقة خالو صباح. .

 

 

هالعالم كلها بچفة وإنتي لوحدك بچفة   نه نه فاطم هلگد إنتي لوحدك هلگد عزيزة عليه ….

حبيبتي   نه نه فاطم سامحيني لأنه ماحاولت بجهد أكثر انه ابقى على اتصال بيچ و بخوالي الأعزاء أو خاله أميرة. رجاءً وصلي إعتذاري الخاص لهم.

 

انشاءلله الأوضاع تتحسن باسرع وقت حتا الناس تبدأ تعيش بامن و  سلام بعراق الوطن –على گولتچ   نه نه فاطم.

 

وصلټني صورۃ واحدۃ وفيھا إنتي ومجموعۃ اطفال و خالۃ ٲميرۃ.

 

ابعثلچ بهذى الرسالة كم صورة جديدة إلي و لإبني وزوجي  إلي  ٲبدا مايمل من سمع حكايات احكيها له عنك وعن طيبتچ و همين ابعثلچ عنواني هنا بكندا.  حاليا آني حامل خمس شهور و إنشاله رحأولد طفلي الثاني بشهر شوباط السنه الجايه.

 

مع السلامة   نه نه فاطم گيان به قوربانت ءه بم. سلامي الى الجميع…

 

لوزينه