My friend said she saw it still hanging
on the wall of a supermarket the other day.
It surprised me.
But I can still see that familiar photo,
even though I haven't actually seen it for quite awhile now.
She's smiling back at me through the black ink
although it's shamefully grainy.
Her name is in big letters across that page
but it's not like I could ever forget it,
even if they did take it down.
My friend said maybe they leave it up
for seven years or something...
If they do, that sign has one and a half years left.
Why is it still up there anyway?
It's not like anybody is trying to find her...
I push it to the back of my mind.
I act happy
and my friend says I laugh like her.
The only thing I can see is her face--
She's laughing.
But I don't remember what she sounds like.
It makes me mad--Why did I forget?
What happens when I forget everything,
when every memory I tried to keep
floats away like all the other signs?
For now, I force old thoughts to hang in my mind
Just like
that
one
last
sign.
I tell myself over and over,
People aren't supposed to forget their own mother.
---written by Jodi Hudson, 3/1/99--
The original handwritten draft won a medal in poetry competition
at Pittsburg State University. I was in 9th grade. 16 yrs old.
your family, your mom are always in my thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI wish there was something I do.
I even turn when i hear the name ginger being called out.
Love you Jodi!
Thank you
ReplyDeleteThis came up in the news today. Missing still. I have to wonder 7f Gary Kleypas was around then. He was paroled for murder in 92 and went to Pittsburg from Missouri. He 7s on death row now. Hugs♡
ReplyDeleteThe community knows who it is. Eugene Humble Jr. He was the last person to see her and the first person to report her missing. He's a very violent man that has threatened many people including his own family members. I know of one person he harassed and stalked. He carries a side arm at all times. There are two theories either he fed her to the pigs on his fathers farm or shes buried under a fence post they were putting up around that time. People are scared to call it out because of his violent tendencies.
ReplyDelete