For Tata: Bushels and Pecks (I Love You)
As a 28 year old woman, I’m insanely lucky to have a great grandmother in my life who I can pick up the phone and call. Especially since, she is one of the most special people I’ve ever gotten to meet. To me, she’s love personified and I could change one thing about her- I would give her everlasting life. So this poem is for her, for Tata.
When I was younger, I remember her singing “I love you a bushel and a peck” every time I saw her. One day it became our catchphrase, a term that meant even more than I love you. So to Tata; a bushel and a peck I do!
For Tata
to all the younger mes-
I love you
yesterday and the day before
last year and the one prior
when you were wrong
when you were careless
when you were broken
when you convinced yourself no one else did
when you gave us bangs
when you went against everything we stood for
when you watered every plant except for ours
when you put us on the back burner
when we were 24 and 22 and 19 and 16
when we were 12 and 9 and 6 and 4
I loved you a moment ago
and now I love you even more
