the soil that covers you

the grass that hides you

the hands that held a book for me

and the face that looked in disapproval

My Irish Queen

with alabaster skin

and piercing blue eyes

would not approve

of what i have done

I loved without permission

I kissed without asking

I danced without music and crossed the sea

I spent money when no more was coming

I ate too much and enjoyed it

For the Irish spirit is one of suffering

For suffering is a noble badge

the catholic way you know

to hang upon a cross for all to see

or lock the erring girl away in a nunnery you see

I swear if I was back in Cavan or Cork, Grandma'

Like your family's kind

you all would have sent me away

to a cloister .. a convent or somewhere far away

for I fell in love with the dark headed heathens

who's scripted religion had no mother of God

I ran away to the Muslims

Thank the lord you are dead

Your 2 daughters Margaret and Catherine are suffering enough

With their horrible Kathleen who just wont conform

And who spends all her money running to North Africa

And dances to heathen music and dresses in robes

Dearest Grandma ma

I am so sorry

I do not fancy a cross

Or to hang on it

Nor do I find the cold appealing

Potatoes and beef and long winded stories of Ireland and the saints

Are not what I need

I need Amari, Djelloul, Abdelkader and Khaled

I need cous cous and chaabi and rai and the bled

I need all the things I am not allowed to have

And the picture of the pope that my aunt found in your nursing home room

Hangs on my wall

Your poetry books are safe on my shelf

How Ironic my mother and her sister took all your money

Yet the things you carried with you your whole life ended up with me

A rosary, a dish

A painting

And all your pictures

Your photos, your Irish family

were saved by the worst of the family

the irish black sheep is the only one who holds what you loved dear

But you would'nt approve ... you wouldn't approve

Your sister Helen ran away after Margaret your mother died

And she loved men she shouldnt have and smoked cigars

So I think you are used to my crazy ways

Although you are dead and so is she

So don't worry about the convent or losing me or the children

I love you so..

I just have to see a little bit more before I sit in a chair all alone and gaze out of a window

And put on the uniform of a good Irish girl

Its just an old poem I wrote after my great aunt died 2 years ago.. Nothing deeper Amira

ahahhaha

I liked it wahrania.

thanks... I was just writing about being from an extremely catholic traditional family and the pain of deviating from tradition...

Well, my family wasn't traditional Catholic, but they are Irish. I don't think my prudent Grandmother would have accepted the path that I chose to walk on either. I truly don't think she would have accepted my half Puerto Rican sons, or her new Arab grand son in law. I DO think she would have appreciated the strength that it took to Make these choices though. I can appreciate the poem. A great grandaughter trying to explain her decisions in life, trying to appease a great grandmother already gone, but not forgotten. I am and have always been the black sheep of the family. It doesn't mean my choices have been wrong, just different from the path others have chosen.

I was just trying to share my family experiences being left with all the photographs and memories.. and kind of explaining my path.. I guess most did not see that..

I saw it, and understood it. We all see things differently, but it's ok, that's what makes us all so special.

Thanks for sharing this part of your heritage with us

Hugs,

Ayesha

Its nice to talk to people actually going through this process... As far as the rest of them, I cannot see how I benefit one iota from them.. They sure as heck have nothing positive to contribute and unless you are going through their consulate, I cannot see how they can help me one bit... I did not see anything wrong with what I wrote but like I said in another post, if they can find something... anything to berate , they usually do. I actually am happy that I met some nice people here and I have made some friends in similar straits....I am happy the forum exists...

Wahrania - For some reason you seem to think that just because someone got their visa and has been reunited, that they should stop coming to the boards. That is not the end or even the middle of the visa journey. There is still AOS, Work permits, lifting conditions, and becoming a US Citizen.

You may think that older members have nothing to contribute but we do, this forum would be nothing without them.