Promises to Drew
Drew, I held your hand
as you left the world behind,
and I made promises to you.
I never cry…I stopped crying long ago,
but I am crying now as I remember.
Some promises I have kept
better than others.
I like to think you would be happy
with the way your autobiography turned out.
Your brother Mitch finished your book.
Your mother and I supported his efforts
for more than a year.
The Don Quixote in a wheelchair
that Mitch drew for you in high school
is on the cover.
I know you would approve.
I promised to raise our children
as you would have wanted
them to be raised, and I did my best.
Our children are grown up now,
and the struggles of life continue.
We have cherished our memories of you.
Our children remember your wise advice
and try to follow your example…
You left some pretty big shoes for us to fill!
I have made a new promise
for our grown-up children:
I will be their mother till the day I die
and always love them as I always loved you.
I know that you would be happy
that I have found someone to grow old with,
as you wished me to do.
He is someone I know you would like.
Drew, I wish I could have done more
to keep my promises to you.
I hope you would approve
of the things I have done.
Copyright 2020 by Cheryl Batavia
Drew’s autobiography, Wisdom from a Chair: Thirty Years of Quadriplegia, by Andrew Batavia and Mitchell Batavia is available on Amazon.
Wow. This is all full of emotions. Great post.
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Kritika, thank you for your encouragement. I have been working on this poem for 10 years. Even 17 years after my husband’s death, it was difficult to finish. He was an incredible human being who, in spite of quadriplegia, had remarkable achievements and always did a lot for others. He died at the age of 45.
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This trips with emotion, in a good way, even after 17 years. Emotion seeps through every seam and love and tenderness shout from the puddles below.
That’s a wonderful picture full of joy and happiness.
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I don’t see a way to edit my comments. That was supposed to say it drips with emotion.
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Thank you, Violet! I appreciate your thoughtful comments. That picture has always been one of my favorites, always on display on my desk at school and then in my home.
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sounds like it would have been tough on all of you … so glad that you have found a partner. Seems like a close and loving family despite the hardships, well done!
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Thank you for your comment, Kate. Ours was not an easy life, but it was a fulfilling and happy one.
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that’s what counts in the end, and sounds like the kids are doing well 🙂
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