Grandma Is A Classy Broad

by Joni Greene in honor of her mother, Betty Hotchkiss.

It's not her cookies (but they're good) or her cakes
that we'll always remember
It's her style, her laughter, her bawdy humor.
the we will
It's her high cheekbones, her "Egyptianella" dance with
bumps & grinds
Her Irish expletives often at inauspicious times
that we'll remember
Her Irish past shared with too many siblings
& too few clothes
Her coats, & shoes, & money hidden in robes
that we'll remember
Her will, determination, ability to survive
with grace & humor
Her joie de vivre
Her ability to fill the room with just
5 feet, 95 pounds
that we'll remember
& smile

J. Greene