Our gift

for Monica

These words are a song of celebration
not of lament
In this room with Monica
there is only room for joy

Swathed in colours of life
she was Monica
her bright cheerful loving face
a spark lighting up our world

Her tools in our years together
were words and writing books
and determination to see them
into the hands of children.

Bright and happy swathed
in her white furry costume
she was Blotch the dog
Blotch who wanted to see the world

getting smuggled onto a plane
to have an adventure
in her beloved Chile

Her horizons were always hopeful
for Monica the clouds were promising
shade if it was too hot
rain if it was too dry
comforting when times were hard or sad.

Monica your unabashed enthusiasm
was translucent
your love and pride in family
your cheery loving phone calls and sad ones.
your welcoming arms wrapped around me
your greeting always as if for the first time

Little was I to know one of those was the last.
My symphonic friend of joy
we had a blast in our writing days
Thank you for you.

Colleen