For Lois
By Alida O’Loughlin
She was elderly, and I quite younger
and in my hunger
For motherlove, she was the choice
I never had before
She was so capable, her reputation
known to the nation
An artist, famed only in her later years
Acclaim she so deserved
She loved the fame, but remained humble,
In all the jumble
Of invites, speeches, even named balloons
in Florida’s blue sky
Honoring her name, which, source of pride,
she no longer had to hide
As a female, writing first initials only
A simple L
Nor did she any longer have to hide her face
In that museum place
Where her paintings were well accepted
But she was not
She so loved her life in France, where as expected,
skin color was well respected
She had the freedom just to be herself
no more, nor less
We interacted, shared thoughts on art
And on my part
I reveled in her warmth, humanity and kindness
No room for hate
At her funeral I could not be
Instead, I had to travel over sea
My mother’s death preceded hers
By just two days
My tears, no Absolution
Alida O’Loughlin lives in Oak Bluffs and calls herself “a frustrated poet and writer who never had time and is now running out of it….”
Poets with a connection to Martha’s Vineyard are encouraged to submit poems to Poet’s Corner curator Laura Roosevelt at ldroosevelt@gmail.com.