Mother’s Day

This morning

I woke up

and

I didn’t think of you.

I started to

Do some other things, I don’t remember

But then Emily

Opened the wide white blinds on our

Big rectangle window

And the sunshine

That’s what reminded me of

You, the Saturday mornings when

     you would have us do housework

You wore slippers and

     you turned on the CD player

You told us to

     sweep the kitchen.

This morning

I didn’t think

I was thinking of you.

My friends ask me about my mom

I smile

     I tell them

          you can sing beautifully.

This morning

I opened a yellow can

Of syrup and peaches

I stabbed them with a fork

For breakfast

I told Em

You would sometimes eat peaches

     With cottage cheese for breakfast.

Last night I wore

that turquoise necklace

It was yours and I took it

I looked in my closet this morning

I saw dresses you have brought me over the semester

That I have not worn

     once, silly mom,

I only wear what you don’t want me to wear

     like that turquoise necklace

I hope you don’t miss it;

I’ll be home soon to give it back.

This morning I didn’t think

I was thinking

Of you.

Tonight he told me,

“I really wanted to meet your mom last night!”

I breathed a moment of being much too hopeful

     About what that comment could imply

But I drummed up a response

     About how you had to go home

It was a late night

     He had friends he was talking to and I

     Didn’t want to interrupt him

How was I supposed to know he wanted to meet you?

But what I said was,

     “I wanted you to meet her too!”

Because I did.

     In fact

I was looking for him

So that I could introduce him

     to you

Because I like you:

Your voice

     Your white teeth when you smile

          Your eyes when you talk to people

I think you’re graceful and beautiful

I don’t think I’ve ever really told you that.

I know we look alike

But I can’t tell how much

I’m too used to my face

          And your face

To compare them.

And every time

I hear

a Rogers & Hammerstein song

I hear you singing along with it

This morning I didn’t think I was thinking of you.

HSapphireH