I spent yesterday shredding
Mother
in her bank statements,
medical records,
nursing home requirements,
medicare bills,
collections of old Christmas cards,
hundreds of magazine pictures….

What did I save?

Birth certificate to date her start.
Marriage license to prove, maybe, her love.
Mexican divorce – bilingual no less –
to prove love is fleeting
but hate abides for ever.
Power of Attorney to prove all abilities fade.
Cremation plans to insure flesh returns to dust.
A smiling photo of us
to reinforce my memory
of one whose mind and memories were gone
long before her body quit its struggles.

Good-by Mom.

I loved you.

I love you.