Eighty years she lived;

through two world wars,

and the ‘Troubles’.

There wasn’t even standing room

in the church;

the overspill crowded outside the door.

 

Mother of six children,

and all their friends and in-laws.

My Granny,

and grandmother to all my cousins

and their friends,

and their friends’ friends.

 

A hub for transfer of all the news

when phones were a novelty,

and a letter in the mail

would be passed around

so everybody knew.

 

It was a shock when she left us,

she that was a constant in our lives.

After the funeral, I heard she’d been asking;

where’s so-and-so these days;

when will Trevor be home;

is Brian back yet.

 

Waiting till we were all there

before she slipped away.