M.A. Hastings Poetry

M.A. Hastings Poetry

Share this post

M.A. Hastings Poetry
M.A. Hastings Poetry
Still Wishing for Her

Still Wishing for Her

What Length Should Longing Be...?

M.A. Hastings Poetry's avatar
Glad Klassen's avatar
M.A. Hastings Poetry
and
Glad Klassen
Jan 18, 2024
∙ Paid
4

Share this post

M.A. Hastings Poetry
M.A. Hastings Poetry
Still Wishing for Her
1
Share
Upgrade to paid to play voiceover

#1 8-year-old Diane, in a wool fur-collared dress coat with matching wide bonnet winter hat, is smiling dreamily at the camera.  She is standing so close that Santa’s long beard is touching her coat front as his white gloved hands loosely hold her right arm. #2 16-year-old Diane, in a shirtwaist dress and a sixties’-style hairdo stands beside M.A.’s mother, also in a shirtwaist dress.  Both are standing behind M.A. and her younger sister, Phyllis.  Phyllis is seated at the piano looking at sheet music, with both of her hands on the keys, while M.A. is pointing out a note higher up on the piano.  Diane has her right hand on Phyllis’s shoulder as if she were also giving Phyllis guidance on her lesson.
8-year old Diane wish-listing with Santa. 16-year old Diane looking on for a photo shoot for a Chronicle Telegram’s Mother’s Day story. (May 13, 1961)

Still Wishing for Her

She would have celebrated 

her 79th yesterday

How long would have been a 

long enough stay?

For my heart to stop with the breaking

Or

halt a bit of 

the aching

As the big sister, so much

for us…

This post is for paid subscribers

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
A guest post by
Glad Klassen
I tell stories
Subscribe to Glad
© 2025 M.A. Hastings
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share