My Mother-In-Law, Marge Ettinger passed on May 23. I would like to share with you a villanelle I wrote to celebrate this remarkable woman I had the honor to call Mom.
Eulogy for Marge Ettinger
May 23, 2019
She lived for the love of wild things,
penstemon on a hillside along the Deschutes,
but even boulders tumble from erosion.
Blue-violet against rust in the high dessert
made her quiver for joy,
she lived for the love of wild things.
The sound of bees in the cuddle of the hive,
light and shade deep in the Metolius,
but even boulders tumble from erosion.
On horseback across the Warm Springs,
invited to the sacrament of flowers,
she lived for the love of wild things.
Layers of lava and the sight of pollen,
fissures in rocks and stamens,
but even boulders tumble from erosion.
Her eyes in the sky searching for pelicans,
the song of every bird and every feather,
she lived for the love of wild things,
but even boulders tumble from erosion.
Amelia Díaz Ettinger 
2 replies on “Eulogy for Marge”
What a lovely tribute to your mother-in-love! I just lost my 97 year old mother so I understand fully the lines about “even boulders fall.”!
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Thank you, April. I miss her everyday
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