August 2022
New Work Summer 22- additional content pending-
Edna at the Pearly Gates
The morning after my Birthday
Sister called me and announced
Well- it’s that phone call-
Mom’s gone
They told me it was around 10:30
Calmly I replied well-
Terrible now everything that could have
Happened to Edna has happened
My Sister Boni told me that her and my
Brother -in-law Kevin were leaving to the rest home
To identify the body to start the final arrangements
A couple of hours later I was sent a text from her that reading-
She was told by the Nurses’ Aid that after that initial phone
Call that Edna started breathing again for a while- but
Finally checked out for good around noon.
I considered just how to understand that earthly pause
Of about an hour and a half-
Edna had been a devout Catholic
So Limbo perhaps-
Certainly her last year on earth was pure purgatory
Bedridden- semi conscious with every indignity of
The flesh checked off the flesh list.
So- Where was Edna ?
This is what I think happened-
When she heaved that last sigh- not out- but in
As the astral body soul started its journey
Into the tunnel toward the light of Infinity-
Clearly Edna didn’t dig this and somehow
Descended back into her ancient flesh shell-
She hid there until they sent her father Poppa
Joe Turner down to grab her hand and pull
Her back up- this time for real saying-
Edna ! Get that little tail of yours over here-
Pronto ! Everybody is waiting on you
And supper is ready !
6/8/22- 7/4/22 V. Quatroche
Rubbereden 