Tags: S020822b, skirmish, flowers
While I was mulling this prompt over I opened my grandmother's cedar jewelry box. I barely new my grandmother. The box and the contents are the only things I have of her's or my mom's side of the family. As I looked at the few pieces of costume jewelry, broaches and pins that were in the box I noticed several had pink flowers.
My grandmother was in an abusive marriage and birthed 5 children. Each time she gave birth she suffered extreme postpartum depression and was institutionalized. She was institutionalized for the most of my mom's childhood.
This song is a small attempt to tell her story.
No demo for this one just yet.
UPDATE: demo posted
https://fawm.org/songs/135376/
Pink Flowers
She was right in the middle of
mitten
In that nothing Michigan town
Raising 5 children
She didn’t own a fancy gown
She rarely got dolled up
Her husband drank and bowled
If he was home they were fight’n
His rage uncontrolled
But when she dressed up
she wore pink flowers
But when she dressed up
she wore pink flowers
Each time a baby came
She’d lose herself again
Distant and fearful
She felt so boxed in
She had trouble sleeping
Her mind a threatening storm
When she did sleep
It was for hours and hours
And in her dreams
She wore pink flowers
So they’d locked her in right in the middle of
mitten
In that nothing Michigan town
Wearing a pink rob
Over her hospital gown
They rarely came to visit during those stays
She sat alone smoking
Most of the days
And on her slippers
she wore pink flowers
@musicbymichelle Feb 2022
Love how you change the chorus slightly each time. The song evolves nicely.
@katestantonsings Feb 2022
Power of the pen. What a tribute to your grandmother! Her memory and dignity is intact when her story is shared in such a thoughtful way as this!
@the3queens Feb 2022
How sad. Especially thinking of her being institutionalized for postpartum depression. You have captured her story so poignantly. You've done her proud with this song and I'm sorry you didn't get to know her.
@kahlo2013 Feb 2022
Compelling story that tugs at the heart with the little snapshot images that convey so much about her and her life. Powerful and poignant.
@littlespiral Feb 2022
wow. what a story. you brought it to life with your rock-solid imagery. just heartbreaking.