For Sylvia Inoue

     1927-2024

Away faraway

hark their faint calls

those that have left us

those that have gone

lost in the onrush

as time gallops along

Now Sylvia's gone 

these words intone

she lived a long time

alive no more

to nickel and dime

at the goodwill store

She'll send no more gifts 

books from her shelf

Greek tragedies, plays

classical myths

Yule tree ornaments

Batchelder's china

She listened to 

right-wing radio

hated to pay tax

kept chickens in her yard

loved watching birds

while life went slack

She argued more than most

Contrarian, why was that?

why was she so stubborn?

her activist parents

Kenneth and Yvonne

taught her all that.

She leaves a daughter 

four sons as well

five grown grandchildren

a great grandchild

so, she lives on

regeneration

Away faraway

hark their faint calls

those that have left us

those that have gone

lost in the onrush

as time gallops along.

Dick Russell (C) Richard M Russell

                           2024