Milkweed
Donna Downs
Recent-storm-thrust milkweed pods
resting between wires of the old rusty fence,
some opened, their floss rustling in the breeze,
suddenly take me back
to the path leading to Grandma’s house
where we sat on the old wooden swing
as creaking chains infiltrated her stories.
Along the path where milkweed grew,
butterflies freely danced as my sisters and I
opened the pods and blew floss into the air
before running to visit Grandma,
with thinning silver hair and a loving voice
I no longer remember.
Yesterday I, with thinning silver hair,
watched my grandchildren run though the field
collecting Easter eggs, and my family sat under the sun
sharing stories.
Today, here alone on my wooden swing,
I watch the milkweed floss
waft through the air and wonder:
Will my children someday forget my voice?
Donna Downs
As a writer, Donna Arthur Downs seeks to tell stories and influence others to do the same. She believes writing about real life illuminates emotions often forgotten or hidden in the recesses of our minds: Each phase of life teaches lessons, and as we age, we can learn from the narratives of others. Her goal is to touch hearts and inspire people to tell their stories so generations to come will understand the value of relationship and seek to create memories worth sharing.