The Mother I Knew
"God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers."
- Rudyard Kipling
Happy Mother's Day 2023
To all of my brothers and sisters:
Here goes a poem about our mother
In the hope that everyone remembers
That our mom was simply like no other!!
Life was very unkind to our mother in her last years
Her mind failed her, and she became an empty shell
She stared with unknowing eyes; I held back tears
The last time I saw her. Is she there? I couldn’t tell
But she wasn’t always like that; the mother I knew!
She nurtured us from childhood; body, soul and mind
She was full of life, and full of love, for me and you
Fun to be with! Mother more caring you won’t find
I have fond memories of when she played parlor games
With us, when we were kids, oft times in candle light
And she’d laugh riotously as if she had labor pains
Enjoying our company, as we did, each and every night
Twelve children she raised, yet she ne’er complained
We didn’t have much, but we’re clean and well-fed
No harsh words spoken yet discipline she maintained
For that, we love her, though it was often left unsaid
She sewed our sisters’ dresses, blouses, and skirts
And she did the same for us boys till we were grown
Before it was fashionable I wore monogrammed shirts
Courtesy of our tireless mother; she did all on her own
She’s my first science teacher, in my early recollection
Taught me how birds fly; clouds are but water vapor
A tree grows from a tiny seed; every day a new lesson
A four year old I was; remembrances I’ll always savor
Too inquisitive was I, but with me she’s ever patient
Answering my silly questions while she did laundry
Or while she cooked our meals; those days we spent
Together, very long ago, are still fresh in my memory
Whenever I got sick, she could make me feel better
A hug, a kiss or a candy treat; saying she loves me!
I got special attention, so that I wanted to be sicker
For I knew I will always hear a new bedtime story
I know she loved all twelve of us in equal measures
Yet she’s got a way of making each of us feel special
We were her only joy; she had few worldly pleasures
Except perhaps a bar of Cadbury’s; treat for a royal
She’s also passionate about going to Mass every day
Because she had an unshakeable faith in the Almighty
And I could still hear her lead the church as they pray
In her high-pitched voice, every day till she was eighty
As a young teen, I hang out with her when she cooks
Our weekend lunch; told her all my youthful problems
And she offered me advice you can’t learn from books
Always, she’s right! Her words and ideas are like gems
I’d sit on the kitchen counter; sometimes I’d help her
Cut up the veggies and the meat, talking incessantly
And I learned how to cook; appreciate cooking rather
She’d laugh at all my jokes; I miss those days terribly
Years later, whenever mom and dad came to visit us
Mom and I would do the same, on Saturday morning
While she fixed midday lunch, the world we’d discuss
I was that inquisitive boy once again; always asking!
We all have these anecdotes, stories about our mother
Each one of them poignant, heart-warming, memorable
And I wish we could tell our grandchildren all about her
So her memory will live on, her life will be unforgettable
She had the biggest heart, and even though she’s small
She’s a giant among women, a gentle lady, inside and out
There wasn’t a mean bone in her, none that I could recall
And she loved us till the very end; that’s without a doubt
Sadly, our mother was but a shell in her last few years
But she’s more than that, a lot more! The mother I knew!
She raised us all courageously, no regrets and no fears
She was full of life, and full of love, for me and you!
05-13-2023
© Vic Evora
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