Punk Rock Angel

She was no one’s angel
but her own. In love
with loving and exploring
underappreciated beauty
with every one
of her senses.

She was a punk rock angel
too in love with this world
to be interested in (or wait for)
a monotone heaven.

So she made her own,
stuffed with all the delights
she loved best.

Her heaven had room
for both adventures and lipstick,
dark truths and real smiles,
fine china in a blanket fort,
Shakespeare and Bubblegum,
witchcraft and shenanigans.

Her heaven had room
for every last lover,
anyone who identified as a dreamer,

and me.

She danced every day of her life
in her homemade heaven.
Until she couldn’t.

I’d call her a liar
for promising me an after
(this time with English wells,
and tucked away tea houses),

but there was no sin in her heaven,
save being untrue to yourself.

So I forgive her last lie,
and hold on to the truth

of best friends forever
in a summer star land,
where punk rock angels play 
the most raucous of concerts.

And the cheese,
and the bread, 
and the dancing, 
and the sex
is so much better there
than the bland heaven
the world tried to threaten us with.

I always get misty watching this anime, but now the part where she makes her wish
to get her best friend back will make me weep too. Cat understood how much I loved it
and probably expected it would be the first thing I binged after she died.



Liner Notes for This Groove: I lost one of my dearest friends in the world on Monday morning. She fought chronic illness for so long, but never let it dim her love of life. I'll miss you, Nekko-chan. 

47 comments:

  1. "Shakespeare and Bubblegum...
    And the cheese,
    and the bread,
    and the dancing,
    and the sex"

    Those lines have me smiling from ear to ear. I bet Cat is sharing the poem with every soul in sight, dancing to the musical truth in your words, celebrating the fact that she will always live in the hearts of those who loved her and knew her.

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  2. My condolences, Rommy. It sounds like she was a true free spirit who lived life on her own terms!

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    1. She was very much a free spirit. Things were never dull with her.

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  3. This makes me want to weep and shout 'Hooray!' at the same time. xx

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  4. So sorry for your loss. Your friend made a great life for herself

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  5. I can only hope that when I'm gone, someone will write something even half as beautiful as this, Rommy. Let us all share your loss (not that we can, but...)

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  6. Sorry for your loss. I can definitely feel something of your friend in this poem.

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  7. This is incredibly beautiful Rommy as I am certain was your friend. I am moved to tears ...... in celebration of her life and your love for her.

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  8. I am so sorry, Rommy. This poem seems to celebrate her life, and the way she lived it.
    💜💜

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    1. And she lived it to the fullest in the 40 short years she had.

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  9. What a beautiful tribute to your free-spirited friend. Somewhere she is smiling and watching over you. No one is truly gone so long as we hold them in our memories.

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    1. I agree. And she will be in my memories as long as I live.

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  10. A heartfelt and beautifully penned tribute, Rommy. Those we love are never truly gone, for we hold them in our hearts. Hold on to those wonderful memories of your friendship!

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    1. We made so many good ones. I have plenty to chose from. :)

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  11. My condolences, Rommy. <3 This is a beautiful tribute to your friend.

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    1. Thank you, Jenna. BTW, do you have a blog? I'll happily visit yours if I know the address.

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  12. How important it is to live our lives to the fullest. How beautifully you wrote this. Life is for living, loving and never regretting what one has done as our lives are ours to live.

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    1. Thank you Robin. I don't regret an hour of her friendship.

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  13. A beautiful, heartfelt tribute. I definitely prefer her version of heaven to the one that the church threatens us with...I mean, promises.
    I'm very sorry for your loss. I hope your memories will bring joy along with the tears.
    ~Cie~

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    1. LOL, I prefer hers too. Thank you for the kind words, Cie.

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  14. Rommy, this is a lovely tribute, it deserves to be read at the funeral. You may have? I am sorry for you loss, your poem made me to know her some also. She is the kind of friend we all wish we had.
    Bless you, Rommy.
    ..
    ..

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    1. I will probably read it at a celebration of her life in the future. Thanks, Jim.

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  15. My deepest sympathy, Rommy. I’m sure your friend is smiling at this fantastic poem. I love the lines:
    ‘She was a punk rock angel
    too in love with this world
    to be interested in (or wait for)
    a monotone heaven.’

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  16. My deepest condolences, it is a great loss to lose such a wonderful friend.

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    1. Thank you Nithya. Let me know if you have a blog. I will visit it as well.

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  17. A wrencher, Rommy. I love it again this morning, esp the bubblegum / Shakespeare // witchcraft / shenanigans.

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    1. Thanks Ron. She enjoyed so many things, both serious and silly.

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  18. I love her heaven with room for both adventures and lipstick, not sure about the real one, but mine would be more like yours. I hope she rests in peace.

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    1. Me too. She suffered a long time with her chronic illness.

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  19. this is both beautiful and poignant.
    Cat probably left with no regrets, knowing she has a good friend, and living her life to the fullest.
    beautiful tribute, and thanks for the links to the anime videos.

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    1. We both liked anime. I really like it quite a bit and was super delighted that song went with a Dirty Pair tribute as well.

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  20. A deeply felt remembrance -- a worthy tribute.

    My thoughts are with you in your loss.

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    1. Thank you Charlie. Let me know if you have a blog I can follow.

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  21. These are fine memories and you give your friend great honor in them. I hope some brought a smile as your put them to mind.
    I share my condolences for the loss of your friend.

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  22. Much love to you, Rommy. Appreciating this beautiful piece you shared.

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    1. Thanks, Lynn Anne. It's been a hell of a couple of weeks. At least my mom is better from Covid now.

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  23. I am so sorry Rommy! Sending you healing hugs! I love the tribute to your friend!

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