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)