In the hallway
of St. Theresa's ward
his six foot four frame
stepped slowly,
aimlessly

'you all right? '
a patient asked
he stopped-
'My mother has just died'
said he,

matter of factly,
slowly,
strongly,
it was the first time he'd
ever said the phrase

one by one we rose
to hug him
automatically, wordlessly
'you only have one mother' he said
going up the hallway.

A country man
in his intimate, yet
universal moment
shared with strangers
from the city

his composure,
his quiet pain,
the far away look
in his tear flashed stare
will stay with me-
a frozen snapshot
in the album of memory

Theresa Daly

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/st-theresa-s/