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May Day

What it meant growing up

By Denise E LindquistPublished about a year ago • Updated about a year ago • 1 min read
May Day
Photo by Xiaoyu Li on Unsplash

May Day in our neighborhood meant May Day baskets. We would prepare small baskets for the neighbors, and they for us. Then we would take the basket to the door, ring the bell, or knock and run. Someone would chase you, and if they caught you, it would mean a kiss.

As I got older, I learned about other things that happened on May Day in previous years. Fighting for shorter work days was the main one. Now, there are other protests on May Day that are taking place around the country.

May Day

What can I say

It made for a fun childhood

memory time, so good

Things changed over time

Nothing like it in a longtime

It was a great childhood memory

I wrote about it in my diary

Maybe it should make a comeback

along with the protests, as they are back

I like the idea of world peace, it probably

won't happen in my lifetime, honestly

~~~~

Mother's Day

is in May

My mother isn't alive

She was seventy-five

when she died

So many cried

She prayed with so many

As she was dying there wasn't any

dry eyes in the place.

We filled every space.

She said, "I'm ready to go.

My daughter isn't ready though."

So she kept me busy

feeding people made me dizzy

She was the hostess

with the mostess

until the end.

At her funeral, we would send

her off in the best way

planned for many a day

There was a turkey dinner for all

She planned it herself for fall

She died in September 2009.

No more Mother's Day I whine!

~~~~

FamilyFree Verseheartbreak

About the Creator

Denise E Lindquist

Retired, working part-time as a Native American culture consultant. I have an MSE, and an ABD. I write on Vocal, and Facebook. Poetry, non-fiction mostly, and working on fiction. Wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother.

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    Written by Denise E Lindquist