Grandma

Grandma

Grandma, your eyes grey with the graces of old age
Yet you gaze upon me so strongly with pride
They gleam with lived experience of a great sage
Tho' weary from the countless years
They yield no tears
I see in them your resilience and might.

Grandma, your words are soft and tender
Yet you speak them to me in great volume and length
You speak them to me that I may always remember
From myself in this life, my utmost and best I must give
To love my parents while I live
And always remember that the Lord is my strength

Grandma, your hands are cold
Yet when you grasp mine I feel the warmth from your heart
The same way you grasp, now when you're old
Was the same way you did
The way you held my hand and walked me as a kid
From then till now nothing has changed- you still loved me just as much

Grandma, I want to stay by your side
Yet you tell me to go
Not that I can bear to go but your instructions I abide
To finish my tasks that I must do
To walk the journey of life- just as you before me had walked thru
To bring honour to the family, from you this I know

Grandma, you told me not to cry
Yet these tears flow free
Tears, that against my male pride so impunitively defy
"I am old" you say
And I must take my leave one day
But worry not, we'll meet again where there's no sorrow or suffering- in heaven that'd be

Grandma, this mortal world you leave
Yet eternally in my heart you reside
Your mortal self fades, as loved ones bereave
With eventuality all broken hearts heal
But your life, the hands of death can never steal
Tho' mortal flesh has faded, with love- you in my heart are immortalized

Ken Chin (1987- )
Dedicated to my dearly beloved and departed grandma as of 2nd Sept 2006