2nd Poetry Assignment: Esther Ra

One Sunday Night

One Sunday night I came down from my dormitory

To see my mother. She sat patiently,

In the cold, her cracked white hands

Clasped tight around the icy door of the car.

Two hours she had traveled to see me, two hours

For a briefly snatched word, the transient warmth

Of a quick embrace, and a ghostly kiss

Imprinted with lips chilled by winter night.

I gave her a hot bean paste bun, to warm her hands,

But she laid it aside and caressed my cold face,

Saying, I missed you, I missed you, I missed you.

How will you ever send me to university?

When will I ever stop loving you?

Peace drops slowly on my shoulders like anointing oil

And love blooms warmly across my cheeks,

Melting away my fear, my sorrow, my hunger

At her unconditional affection. And I know

Mother dear, those two minutes

For which you traveled two hours

Will remain priceless to us, glint like sparkling

Fragmented jewels in our memory

When once more we are forced

To tear ourselves apart.