Grandma's Geranium

    Grandma's Geranium by Balisha

Grandma was a woman who lived a simple life..

She smiled each day as she arose and faced a life of strife.

She raised six children all alone and never showed a frown....

She sold her pies and loaves of bread to many in her town.

Grandma had so little, but one special thing she loved..

A geranium on the back porch.. a gift from Heaven above.

Someone left the flower there.. at her back gate one day..

She never knew who left it, but in her heart she prayed.

"Dear God please let this flower grow..a clay pot I will find..

And let it bring some joy to all my customers so kind."

The flower grew and graced the steps all through the summer days..

And when autumn came that year...and burning leaves created haze.

She took the plant inside with her...and placed it in the light..

It sat on her window sill and bloomed..such.a pretty sight.

When Spring returned, in months ahead...she moved it back outdoors..

She placed in on the porch again and watched it grow some more.

She died that year and all she had was that pretty plant to give..

A plant so big and beautiful....her treasure while she lived.

This poem tells the story of my own Grandma. She had six children and raised them pretty much alone.She had a big 3 story house where many people, other than family lived. While I was growing up, my Mom used to say, "Oh, she used to live at our house." about so many people. It seemed to me that everyone must have lived at their house. She lived near a school and prepared lunches for the school teachers. They would walk down the street and eat in her dining room and kitchen. There was a little fence outside by the back garden. A working pump with a cup hanging...provided water to hobos. She always had a hand out for people who were just passing through. Mom and my aunts would take little red wagons around to their "customers" and sell her pies and breads. It seemed that she always had enough money to get by. She always said..."The Lord will provide."After her children were raised... she worked as a housekeeper.. until she grew old. She had a nice life in her last years. Her last housekeeping job was for a man who had just lost his wife. She took care of him in his grief and he never forgot her. He took her into his home and took care of her, with my Mom's help,  through her final days with cancer. This man became a family friend for the rest of his years. As it ended up...he needed care at the end of his life and my Mom and Dad  took him in

.I learned so much from living in our family. Caring for others and helping people who are down and out. It taught me compassion and also patience...waiting for prayers to be answered.Most of all...it taught me that "the Lord will provide."

Balisha