The courage that my mother had, went with her and is with her still
Rock from New England quarried, now granite on a granite hill.
The golden brooch my mother wore she left behind for me to wear.
There is no thing I treasure more, yet it is something I could spare.
O if instead she'd left to me that thing she took into the grave,
That courage, like a rock, which she has no more need of, and I have.
This poem is in memory of my beloved daughter, Tanya Bocking who died 11 years ago on December 10th.
It was written to a mother, but it could easily be to a daughter. Tanya had great courage . It defined
her life, and was at the core of her being. Courage, love for her friends and family, and a deep sense
of. justice. The world cannot easily spare such people.
That day, 11 years ago, was the nadir of my life Having known her and loved her, we had to get used
to life without her. She was a great teacher, and a huge influence. I was privileged to have brought
into the world such a woman.
So give a thought for her today, a person so brave and fine that her example lasts after she has gone.
Diana Morris
Tanya was a fierce, witty, uncompromising friend. We didn't keep in contact after I married and moved abroad - not because the love had gone - but because it never EVER occurred to me that I couldn't pick up contact again after I was able to raise my head above the slog of caring for little kids. And I know Tanya would have been there - funny, irreverent, snorting laughter and deeply loyal - inspiring me, pissing me off, cooking a fabulous meal... Except she isn't here anymore.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know the day Tanya died. I didn't find out about it until a year or so ago. I'm kind of surprised that there wasn't a giant upheaval in the planet - tsunmani, earthquake, asteroid strike, I don't know - something like that. It just seems that the universe must have had to reconfigure in a pretty damn big way when Tanya Bocking died. Where the hell did that energy go? I know there is a tall, red haired, laughing hole in my heart and I'm glad to feel it there.