An olive-skinned beauty
Born in April of 1935
Your hair was as dark as night
Your eyes bright as the sky
Born to a railroad man and his humble wife
Helen Elsie May
You brought them joy and much delight
You were fearfully and wonderfully made
You grew, matured, and a beautiful woman became
Like a sultry summer serenade
In the 1940s and 50’s it was off to school
You danced to swing and all that jazz
Joined the chorus of Rosie the Riveter’s brass
Learned to read and write
Stayed up late and swooned
over
Clark Gable
Gregory Peck
Spencer Tracy
With Frank Sinatra you sang, “Fly me to the moon”
You were beautiful,
a dreamer with a heart so pure,
and though time has passed,
you’re beautiful still, like a majestic tree standing tall and sure
mature
Those nostalgic moments
we all have them, it’s true
and I often wonder
what thoughts filled your heart before all of us
before this life you knew?
Before Dad picked you up for church
did you have a plan to seduce?
Or did it happen naturally
your breathtaking beauty
his quiet strength
leveraging their magnetic use?
Did he remind you of James Dean
dangerous and wild
or was it his secure embrace
that made you feel like a feral flower
Before the revival of religion
Were you always compliant
a peacemaker, invisible
or did you see the men noticing your shining light
your attractive figure
your petite delight?
Did you dream of finer things
travel dresses and pearls
How did your heart stay grounded
loyal and faithful to such common toil?
As a mother, how did you see
yourself in a different life
with alternate timelines
a world without a husband, children, without any entanglements
without any strife?
Whatever were your dreams
whatever your heart’s desires
You seem to have found it in us
quietly submitted to what reality required
The ’50s brought rock and roll and greasers
A time of poodle skirts and jukebox pleasers
You watched Elvis and Johnny Cash take the world by storm
Your marriage, faith and home
began to grow healthy and strong
In the ’60s, you mourned with a nation in grief
As JFK’s and MLK’s death
brought pain beyond belief
But your spirit remained strong, your faith unshaken
As you taught your children
that in Christ
we are never forsaken
The ’70s brought disco and bell-bottoms galore
Your children grew up and began to explore,
But your love was always with them, guiding their way
As they faced challenges every single day
The ’80s brought big hair and MTV
Your heart swelled with pride as all could see
As your last baby boy
growing up to be
like the rest of your children
tender sensitive and brave
all holding your heart’s key
In the ’90s, you saw the world change once again
As technology advanced and society began to bend
But your faith remained steadfast, your love still true
And your family continued to grow and with children of their own
Faith renewed
And now here we stand 21st Century
nearly 25 years in
Your family remains strong
a welcoming refuge
where all belong
An olive-skinned beauty
With indigenous blood
You lived your life as only you could
not as others would
In this you found joy
Peace
Security
Confident
that soon loved ones
you will once again see
And embrace your Lord and Christ
for all eternity
This is your life
Helen Elsie May Loyd
Mother
Isn’t it quite lovely?
Scot Loyd 