i heard she became a nurse
after she got engaged --
her beau died of a brain tumor
just before the wedding.
she saved her money
bought some land,
went to work and
met another man,
but he died too.
so she gave up on the man thing --
they just die on ya anyway --
and went to work
nursing the sick and buying the earth.
when the Depression hit,
her hospital nearly closed,
so she sold some dirt
and bought the hospital.
she still worked and cared, but now her work
was nursing the sick and renting them beds.
since she didn't have any kids,
she doted on those she knew.
after all, who was the money for?
she sent her nieces and nephews
money just for writing.
she sent the bright kids in town to
college just for thinking.
never asked for more,
never expected less,
just pumped her heart
into her work
and her kids.
now she sleeps beneath
the Georgia clay,
near her hospital.
her adopted kids have moved away
to big cities and good jobs
since they both healed their wounds
and went to school because of her.
i hope she sleeps well.