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On May 18, 1980, Mt. St. Helen’s erupted in Washington State, killing 57 people, including one of my dearest friends, Barb. This was written shortly afterwards.
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You laughed above the heads
of those who couldn’t see your wings,
but those of us with vision
always flew along with you.
Even in the rain you’d soar
above the muddy puddles
with a smile and a wink.
.
But just this once
your takeoff was too slow.
St. Helen’s grabbed you
in her smoky claws,
and with one spicy belch
she burned your wings away….
.
I found a bird
the cat brought in,
buried it in forget-me-nots,
and felt you watching,
heard your laughter
rising from the sifted dust
as you spread your wings and flew
beyond the ash
to the curlicue clouds.
.
(c) 1980, 2017 Betty Hayes Albright
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(In memory of Barb, her husband, and her two children)
.
Seasonings 
I recall seeing images at the time of that event…the unbelievable power and destruction…I hope that peace has filled the void from your loss.
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Yes, it was a devastating moonscape. After 37 years it’s still a fragile area but recovering. I’ve never been there to see the massive crater as it still haunts me. It seems like just yesterday – I can still hear the loud booms from the explosions 100 miles away. The area we’re living now still has ash in its soil.
Thank you, Charlie, for commenting.
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Your words create a resonating effect which talk to me about the tragedy,the grief and the void which only she can fill,yet with it I can also see the love for her in the way you have beautifully described her.Hope those beautiful memories that you shared with her be treasured always:)
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Thank you, I appreciate that.
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A great blow the loss of a dear friend. Your memorial comes from the heart. She will be remembered as long as you are still here honouring her memory.
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Thank you, Ben
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So sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing this powerful, personal poem. Spectacular writing Betty. Burying the bird in the forget me knots… feeling her watching, laughing…. makes me cry – and I don’t mind crying. 🙂
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Thank you again, Gina. It was 37 years ago but it still hits me every year. The morning of her memorial the cat really did bring in a dead bird which I promptly buried out where the forget-me-nots were growing. It was one of those moments of synchronicity.
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Mt St Helen’s and the memories some of us have. My then husband and our children were en route to CA, him to work and me to visit, when it erupted. We were on the I5 corridor when the sky turned from blue to black and the air filled with sulfur. We got through but had to drive at a crawl as we could see nothing. Not something I ever want to experience again. Thank you for the write.
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That must’ve been awful. We were in Seattle area and heard the explosions (which we thought were Sonic booms) but not much ash made it up there. You must’ve been on the freeway near where we’re living now as we still find ash in the soil. Anyway, glad you made it through okay!
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Wow. Beautiful & moving …
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Thank you! 😀
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I remember watching images of the erruption with fascination on YouTube. These poignant words have reminded me of the human cost.
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It was indeed tragic. Most of the people who died were supposedly in the safe zone around the mountain. No one predicted it would blow out from its side (to the north) instead of straight up from the top like most volcanoes. That’s where the 57 death’s occurred. Barb and her family were just on the highway, on a beautiful Sunday morning…
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That’s one important function that art of all kinds has: to preserve the memory of people who should still be around and make it last far longer than any human lifespan – almost as an act of defiance!
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Yes! I like that view of memorializing those we’ve lost. In that regard, I’ll probably never stop writing poems about my son – though others may grow tired of reading them. Our dear ones deserve to be remembered though. Thank you for this conversation.
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