Haiku to Belén

Nana Bel is around 93 years old. She is my grandmother-in-law. Belén is her full first name. And I thought the name was beautiful when I first heard it. I still do. It means Bethlehem in Spanish. We tried to visit every other week or more when we lived in Texas. There she would be rocking on her chair, smiling at me, in a house dress, usually, and socks and sneakers, or her slippers. Many times she wore a hat. Sometimes, it was a broad rimmed sun hat. Other times, a knitted cap. A favorite of hers was a baseball cap that sported a Playboy bunny symbol. She was oblivious to what it stood for, I'm sure. But she liked it, so she wore it. We would greet Belén and Tavo, my husband's grandfather. We hugged and kissed. Then Belén and I would sit and watch as my husband and Tavo chatted and joked. After a while, she would remember to offer me a beverage, usually an RC Cola. I took it and thanked her and she would say something to me and I would nod and smile and she would nod and smile. She and I never have had more than just a few words together. She speaks Spanish and I understand Spanish. But, I cannot understand her. I think it's her voice, or maybe the dialect. It doesn't matter, try as I might, I only understand a word here or there. And that is fine. We like each other and like seeing each other and that is all that mattered.

Today I made some of Belén's cornbread. She gave me the recipe a long time ago. As I poured the mixture into the pan, I thought of Belén. We visit her when we travel to visit family in Texas. She's in a nursing home. She doesn't always remember me. But, she still holds my face in her hands and kisses me and mumbles her love to me. 


My haiku is to Belén, a sweet beautiful lady, who holds a very special place in my heart. 

Dear pretty lady

Nods, smiles, and our eyes connect

Who needed words? Not us.