It's Her Birthday Again

By Justine C. Tajonera

She is still here
with me.
Her love has lasted
three and a half
decades.
It doesn't matter
that I only had
three years of
her.
Love is stronger
than time,
than death.
The smell of her
hair
is gone,
the tone of what
I imagine
was a sweet
voice
is silent.
But there is something
about how she
must have once
embraced me
and whispered
in my ear
before I fell
asleep at night
that keeps me
strong
and full
of life.

Aug. 25, 2009

See my poem about her, What Ditas Left
See her pictures, Ditas, My Mom (circa 1960's)