Seamstress Sara

Sara’s now a seamstress
instead of “Nathan’s wife”
since she became a widow
she’s redefined her life

She sold their fancy townhouse
and bought a studio
in its tiny crowded space
she doesn’t miss him so

When Sara married Nathan
she was just a simple girl
a big man who could charm a room
Nate was her whole world

He built her an annuity
a sound financial plan
he put it all in stocks and bonds
she does not understand

The bank won’t say why funds are down
or what she can expect
but some months bare necessities
take all her shrunken check

She looks out on the homeless
cold huddled on the grate
and feels a chill inside to know
she might soon share their fate

So she did alterations
and a custom dress or two
but she still felt the chill until
she figured what to do

Now she collects scrap clothing
from Goodwill reject bags
cuts them into sturdy squares
and sews a quilt from rags

and when each quilt is finished
Sara slips out like a ghost
to leave love where it will be found
by the one who needs it most

c. 8/21/09, B. Riley