Death of an Estranged Mother

In rooms once bright, now shadows cast,
Her silent echo fills the air.
These walls hold tight her whispers past.

A laugh once shared, a bond to last,
Now memories within the stair—
In rooms once bright, now shadows cast.

She moved through life, a quiet mast,
A vessel worn, yet unaware
These walls hold tight her whispers past.

And I, the child who stood aghast,
Lost in the folds of her despair,
In rooms once bright, now shadows cast.

The clock’s hand moves, unyielding, fast,
Her final breath—a vacant stare—
These walls hold tight her whispers past.

Now all that’s left, a love so vast,
Within these walls, a cold affair.
In rooms once bright, now shadows cast,
These walls hold tight her whispers past.

Meaning

This villanelle, titled “Death of an Estranged Mother”, explores the complex emotions surrounding the death of an estranged mother, reflecting on the permanence of memories against the backdrop of lost opportunities for reconciliation. The repeated lines emphasize the lasting presence of the past, manifesting in the emptiness that follows loss, resonating within the physical and emotional spaces once shared.

Inspiration Behind

I drew upon the idea of a home filled with the lingering essence of a lost parent, where every corner and shadow seemed infused with memories. The setting was inspired by a friend’s experience, whose words about his mother’s passing painted a vivid image of quiet, echoing spaces, and a relationship paused in time. I imagined how the house must hold onto these echoes, each room a reminder of both presence and absence.