Alix Poetry Continued

Poems 3 and 4 of Part One.

3.

The sun streams into

The linen closet.

I hand Irene a petticoat

And begin folding

My dressing gown.

If only they could just stay there

Everything the same.

I know Irene won’t

Understand

How I feel

Nobody will, I think,

Except maybe my

Brother Ernie, just visiting

From boarding school

And my best friend, Toni,

Far away in another part

Of Germany.

I know I should talk to Ella

About how I feel

Nothing has been the same

Between us

Since February

And now she’s leaving

Tomorrow.

But I want one last moment

With my beloved big sister

Here at home, in Hesse,

Before she leaves

And becomes a

Grand Duchess of Russia.

4.

Ella is right.

There are so many memories

Here in the parlor.

It is where

Vicky told us she was to be married

Where Ernie bumped his head,

Where Toni and I accidentally smashed a statue

Where I learned that Mama died.

I’ve lost so many people in my life,

I tell Ella.

I don’t know if I can bear to loose you too.

Her comforting words

Do a little to keep back the tears,

But as I lean my head

On her shoulder

I realize it’s the last time

I’ll ever feel her arm around me

In this room

When it’s her home.

Irene says she’ll always be

Our Ella.

She’s right

But something

A light

Is going from our home

And I will feel the loss

More than anyone else.