Nonni

The kids called her Nonni, and they did it with love

And her face would light up with a smile

In her laughter was music that came from the heart

In the lines on her face were her trials

From the boot of Italia to this land of dreams

She sailed by the side of her man

The century was young and their spirit was strong

They were so proud to work their own land

They raised cows, dogs, and children in their new home upstate

There were good years and some that were lean

And the seasons repeated as seasons will do

And her hair got a silvery sheen

When her love passed away she mourned for her loss

She remembered the good times and strife

And her strength was so great that she just carried on

But wore black for the rest of her life

Hardly ever spoke English but that meant not a thing

She talked with her eyes and her heart

For one hundred years, she lived, loved and laughed

Then her time came at last to depart

Her memory lives on in the warm upstate wind

That blows gently just before fall

And those who she touched with her smile and her love, say

“We’re just blessed to have known her at all”

Photo of Nonni by her Grandson

George Segnini aka Ziggady Zag