Sunday, January 1, 2012

Memories Mommie Left Me


Mommie left me memories
Tucked inside my heart
Memories for each season,
Every day, every night
They flicker in my eyes like little bits of light

Memories of First Days of School
Special clothes, new shoes,
Folded money in a white envelope for PTA Dues.

Memories of Halloween
Bags and bowls filled with treats
A costume made from Mommie’s closet
With party shoes like pedestals
On the soles of my feet.

Memories of Mondays at her Mommy’s house
Nana up all day cooking and smoking
Aching back, hair a mess
Dancing around in her favorite house dress.

Mommie sketched me memories
On a piece of faded notebook paper
She scribbled over the list for Santa
Made cookies and poured his glass of milk
Added flocking to the Christmas tree
Above the rotating blue light
shining like silk.

Mommie stashed a memory
Within folds of my warm fleece sheets
Always soothed my soul at night by
Rocking me into the most peaceful sleep.

Mommie awakened memories
in the dawn of each new day
of Saturday morning waffles and crunchy bacon
to summer sandwiches seasoned with
pesty
beach
sand.

Mommie imprinted memories
On childhood healing
Bayer aspirin’s peach-colored tablets
Rubbing me down and asking me how I’m feeling

Memories linger in Lemon Heads and Pixie Stix
Malt Balls and Tootsie Rolls,
Sour Dill Pickles, Sardines and Saltines
But especially in a box of her favorite Cheez-Its

Mommie sang a memory in Aretha Franklin’s
“Natural Woman”
In her grandson’s songs from high school musicals
And in a summer symphony of waves crashing

Mommie trickled tear-stained memories
Of how to fight like the queen of humility
How to be victorious in the face of hostility
How to struggle with dignity
How to laugh through insanity
How to never use profanity
How to embrace Christianity
Through lessons taught to all humanity
Memories Mommie Left Me
Are memories never left
Alone
Each
and
Every
Memory
Is
Mommie

In loving memory of my beautiful mother, Gloria Lee Cooper
(June 21, 1934 December 28, 2010)







1 comment:

  1. Tears, Tears & moreTEARS.... MEMORIES.... THANK U 4 sharing your beautiful memories...

    ReplyDelete