Today is Poetry Friday. Our host is the creative Molly Hogan at Nix the Comfort Zone.
Please visit her blog for more poetry and posts! Thanks for hosting Molly!
As most of you know, my mom passed away on July 31st. She was 85 years old. I spent August 1-14th with my Dad at their house. We went through many of her personal effects and provided each other comfort and company.
The day after my mom passed, my Dad had a dream she was welcomed at Heaven’s Gate by family. I shared that post two weeks ago. A week after she passed, my Dad told me that he prayed to my mom that she send us a sign that she was alright. I did not know of his prayer until later that day.
Mid-morning, I asked my dad was the “white thing” in the yard, on the ground, behind a large blue spruce. He replied that he didn’t know. I told him that I had never seen it before and thought maybe it was a mushroom.
Last summer, in August, I found over a dozen different species of mushrooms on our lake property, where we now permanently reside in Wisconsin. I had told my mom about this during one of our previous visits and shared some photos with her. I love to learn new things and there is a lot to learn about fungi!
So, after lunch, I went out to look at the “white thing” in the yard. Sure enough, it was a large mushroom! It looked like a giant puffball to me but I am still a novice at identifying fungi. I went back to tell my Dad and retrieve my phone as well as a ruler to document my find. Dad came with me. We were both amazed by it!
This is what we saw:
A few hours later, my Dad said, “I have something to tell you but it’s corny.” Since he had been sharing life stories with me – which you can read about in my Medium.com post from earlier this week, I wasn’t surprised.
“Oh,” I asked. “What is it?”
He goes on to tell me that when he went to bed the night before, he asked mom to send him a sign that she was right (in heaven). He said, “I think that mushroom is her sign!”
I replied that I didn’t think it was corny at all. After all, the mushroom suddenly appeared after my Dad prayed for a sign from my mom. They never had a mushroom like this in their yard before and it was next to one of her favorite trees!
The appearance of the mushroom gave my dad comfort.
Later that day, he asked if I could somehow work it into my writing. I’ve worked on several versions, but this is the one I like best so far:
In Mom’s Voice…
I sent a sign in a form
She might notice.
She’ll notice, examine, and tell
Her father.
Her father, who asked for a sign
That I was “alright.”
My husband, who saw me in a dream
Being greeted by family.
I sent a sign in a form
She might notice.
She’ll see it as a mushroom,
He’ll see it as a sign.
It wasn’t there the day before
She noticed, and
He connected it to his prayer
For a sign a week after I passed
A sign I am okay,
A sign I am at peace,
A sign I know they’ll recognize
From me inside Heaven’s Gate.
© Draft, Carol Labuzzetta, 2023
I haven’t yet shared this with my dad. I will soon.
Don’t forget the link is open for submissions to my Ekphrastic Nature Poetry Anthology for ages 10 and up. You can find the details here:
https://theapplesinmyorchard.com/ekphrastic-anthology-submissions/
Submissions are open until November 1st. Acceptances are on a rolling basis. Thank you!
The Apples in My Orchard 
There are many, many mysteries we humans don’t understand, although we think we’re fairly smart! How those who’ve passed can somehow send a sign is so personal, like your own discovery, something new in that space. I rather like that your father feels some comfort from it. However it happened, it is a solace, isn’t it? I didn’t know about your mother, Carol, am sorry for this sad loss. Sending sympathies to you and your dad, all the family.
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Linda, Thank you for your kind thoughts and condolences. I just sent off the poems to my Dad – The one about Heaven’s Gate and the one about finding her “sign” – the puffball. I told him I would not share until I was fairly pleased with them. Mom’s birthday (she would have been 86) is tomorrow. I am half hoping the poems will arrive then. We’ll see. I agree that we need to do the things/see the things that we find comfort in to process in times of grief and loss. I’m so glad I could be there for my Dad.
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Carol, I send you my sincerest condolences. Your draft poem is something your father will cherish. I do believe in signs. A few nights ago, one of my visuals during the night was about my mother and her family. I believe it was a sign for me that my uncle who recently passed is with his family in heaven.
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Thank you for sharing that dream, Carol. It is important we see the things that will give us comfort – just as the puffball did for my dad. I was happy I could be there for him.
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Sending my sympathy for the death of your mother. It is a loss with such a profound effect. How good that you had that time of sharing comfort with your dad. I love your poem and its backstory. My sister and I feel our parents when we spot pairs of cardinals.
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Thanks, Diane. I am familiar with the cardinal legend. I saw pairs of them after my in-laws died. The puff ball was a unique take. Thank you for your kind words.
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Carol, I am so sorry for your loss. Your mother sounds like she was well loved. : ) That mushroom is phenomenal. Your touching remembrance brought tears to my eyes.
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Tracey, Thanks so much! Yes, she was a loved and respected teacher – sadly, her world got very small after retirement. I’m glad you liked the mushroom story. My dad liked the poem.
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Carol, so sorry to hear of your Mom’s passing. Such a huge mushroom! I’ve noticed in my yard that a patch of mushroom can spring up almost overnight. “A sign that I am at peace.” Why not?
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Yes, fungi can appear quickly. I think that had a lot to do with my Dad feeling that it was a sign from Mom that she was okay – and as you said, “why not?” Thank you!
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Carol, I’m so sorry to hear of your mom’s death. Losing a parent is a tough journey. I’m glad you and your father have been able to be together and comfort each other. I’m also glad you’ve both found comfort in other ways–signs, dreams, etc. Writing can also help. Thank you for sharing your poem.
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Thank you Molly. I appreciate your kind words and support. I was happy I could be there for my Dad.
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Carol, thank you for sharing the photos and your conversation with your dad. I’m so glad this simple sign brought you peace. And now as you are apart from your father, I wish the same peace and comfort to you both.
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Thanks, Denise. You always know the right thing to say. Much appreciated.
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Carol, this is beautiful. It’s definitely a sign! If your Dad asked and found comfort in the “white thing,” it’s a sign. He needed peace and you helped him find it. What a beautiful poem you have drafted. I suspect there are many more to come. Please thank your mother for me.
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Thank you, Linda. I am glad I could be there to find the sign and let Dad know we had one. I think we, as humans, look for comfort in all kinds of ways – nature, writing, poetry, each other. I appreciate your kind words.
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Carol, I send my condolences on the loss of your mother, and thank you for sharing something of her voice and your family “flavor” in this dear post. I hope you and your dad are both finding peace in that puffball sign!
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Thanks, Heidi. My Dad received the poem and really thought it told the story of the mushroom sign. We are finding peace.
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What a beautiful reminder about what we find when we ask with our whole hearts. You and your father found peace and comfort. The surprise of the answer being a puffball is definitely enough to get your notice! Your mother knew what she was doing.
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Lol. I think she did, Mary Lee. I agree! Thanks!
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Carol, I’m glad you and your dad found comfort in the sign from your mom. I’m a believer in signs like this, too. I’m wondering if your mom had a sense of humor? That was one ENORMOUS fungi! – lol
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Hi. Thanks for your comments. Yes, my mom had a great sense of humor. It’s kind of fitting it would be something unusual too! She knew I had been learning about mushrooms – Incredible!
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Well, this just made me teary. I love this! What a beautiful poem to accompany this sign from your mom.
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Thank you, Marcie!
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So sorry for your loss, Carol. Your words will be a comfort to your Dad as I’m sure they were for you to write.
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Yes, thanks, Rose. Writing has always been a great release fo me.
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