my mother loved
nice things
sewing dresses
shopping for shoes
coffees and cake at vardis after the movies
going into town
going to church
vogue magazine
playing the piano
reading novels
she passed a lot of it on to me
there was another side to her
she had a very keen sense of justice
and always defended the underdog
this pretty feminine woman was a spitfire
she did not mince her words
she took no prisoners
but compared to my grandmother
who could best be described as
a simmering volcano
both my mother and I seemed docile and diffident
my grandmother and mother leave big shoes
which will never be filled by me
i miss them terribly